Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) オオグンカンドリ – Iwa
The Great Frigatebird is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific. They are large sea birds that do not land on the water. It is said that they cannot take off again if they do. They often chase other sea birds and steal their fish. The Great Frigatebird is known as an Iwa in Hawaii. Here is a male. Kauai 2007
The female Great Frigatebird has a large white patch on the chest. Kauai 2005
This male Great Frigatebird is catching fish. It is careful to only put its head in the water. This male is feeding on small fish in a bait ball. The red on the neck can be inflated as a mating display. They can also catch flyingfish in the air and make other birds drop their fish. Kauai 2007
This female Great Frigatebird has a beak full of small fish. They would take turns dipping their heads and catching fish. The small birds are sooty terns which were also catching fish. Kauai 2007
An immature Great Frigatebird has a white head, rust colored neck, and white breast. Kauai 2007
An immature Great Frigatebird catching fish. Kauai 2007
An immature Frigatebird with white blotch on the underwing. This could be a Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel). There are a lot of stages for the immature Frigatebirds that are similar. This was the only one like this that I saw. Kauai 2007