Great Frigatebird
Great FrigatebirdGreat FrigatebirdGreat FrigatebirdGreat Frigatebird

Great Frigatebird

Fregata minor

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
90–100% · Very likely
overall probability at Isla del Coco National Park
152 Verified records at Isla del Coco National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The great frigatebird (Fregata minor) is a large seabird in the frigatebird family. There are major nesting populations in the tropical Pacific Ocean, such as Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands; in the Indian Ocean, colonies can be found in the Seychelles (on Aldabra and Aride Islands) and Mauritius, and there is a tiny population in the South Atlantic, mostly on and around St. Helena and Boatswain Bird Island (Ascension Island). The great frigatebird is a large and lightly built seabird up to 105 cm long with predominantly black plumage. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; the female is larger than the adult male and has a white throat and breast, and the male's scapular feathers have a purple-green sheen. In the breeding season, the male is able to distend his striking red gular sac. Wikipedia →

90–100% of wildlife watchers report a Great Frigatebird sighting in Isla del Coco National Park, based on 152 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Isla del Coco National Park

Magnificent Frigatebird
LC Endemic

Magnificent Frigatebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fregata magnificens

20–30% · Possible
Red-footed Booby
LC

Red-footed Booby

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sula sula

90–100% · Very likely
Masked Booby
LC

Masked Booby

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sula dactylatra

30–40% · Possible
Nazca Booby
LC

Nazca Booby

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sula granti

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

90–100
Jan
90–100
Feb
90–100
Mar
90–100
Apr
90–100
May
90–100
Jun
90–100
Jul
90–100
Aug
90–100
Sep
90–100
Oct
90–100
Nov
90–100
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
90–100%
2 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
30–40%
3 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
4 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
5 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
6 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
7 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Great Frigatebird in Isla del Coco National Park?

About 97% of wildlife watchers report a Great Frigatebird sighting in Isla del Coco National Park, based on 152 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Great Frigatebird in Isla del Coco National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Great Frigatebird in Isla del Coco National Park in our monthly data.

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