From Genovesa.
A male frigatebird in flight, ID’d by his hooked beak, forked tail, and red throat pouch. There are so many seabirds on the cliffs of Genovesa, it was easy to capture one (or several) in motion. I think I see a green sheen to his feathers, which would make him a great frigatebird; purple would indicate a magnificent frigatebird.
From Genovesa.
A frigatebird in flight. Although not endemic to the Galapagos, frigatebirds are a very common sight, especially among the large seabird colonies on Genovesa. This species was recently re-classified in the order Suliformes, along with the boobies and cormorants, which also have species in the Galapagos.
From Genovesa.
This is a male frigatebird in flight, viewed from the rear. I can’t ID the exact species from this picture, because the best way to do that is look at the color of the feathers. But I can tell it’s male because you can see the red gular sac located at the throat–that’s the red bump hanging down below the body. Gular sacs are very prominent in male frigatebirds and are used for courtship displays.
As you can see, this cliff area of Genovesa, or Tower, island is swarming with sea birds: frigatebirds, boobies, petrels, etc. They nest on the cliffs and feed in the waters by swooping down. Frigatebirds are sometimes called “pirate” or “Man o’ war” birds because they have a habit of stealing other birds’ catches.
Jedi by Knight 