Great or Magnificent Frigatebird (Isla de la Plata - Ecuador) (1 Viewer)

[Anton-Jan]

Can anyone tell me if these are great or magnificent frigatebirds? How do you see the difference between great / magnificent?

Seen on Isla de la Plata in Ecuador, taken last year in July.

Thanks for your help?

 

[njlarsen]

From our opus page on Magnificent Frigatebird: http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Magnificent_Frigatebird

Similar species

On a sitting female, black on the chin and throat makes a dark arrow pointing into the white breast, and on a flying bird, the border seems perpendicular to the flight direction. On a female Great Frigatebird, the white breast points into the black, almost reaching the bill. Up close, look for different color of eye ring
Adult male has different color gloss on mantle when seen up close, and lacks the paler line on upper wing usually seen on Great Frigatebird. If visible, leg color should be diagnostic.
Juvenile Great Frigatebird is usually yellow/orange/tawny on head and upper breast, but the lack of that is not a completely safe field mark for Magnificent.

Your adult females are Magnificent, the juveniles most likely the same. The adult male, I cannot see color of the gloss in this image.

Niels

 

[Anton-Jan]

Thanks Niels, I'll see if I can find out if the male is magnificent as well, looking at other pictures I have.

I'm knew to the website and didn't yet know abou the opus pages, seems very useful! Thanks for helping me and pointing me to the opus pages

 

[Maffong]

Great Frigatebird has yet to be confirmed for mainland Ecuador, so you can be pretty sure they're all Magnificients...

Maffong