Lesser or Great Frigatebirds, Seychelles (1 Viewer)

[ekopa]

Hello!
Please confirm my identification of these as female Great Frigatebirds. Although both have hooded appearance, but the white on armpits is not enough
Photographed in July around Cousin and Aride islands of Seychelles
Thanks

 

[andyb39]

I'm pretty sure the first one is Lesser (adult female) despite the lack of axillary spurs - the collar and the shape of the edge of the dark belly patch point to it. On Greater the white on the breast extends along the flanks a little and the dark belly has a curved edge.

I'm not so sure about the second one as it doesn't seem to have much of a collar and the edge of the belly is slightly curved, although I don't think the white extends far enough down the sides. The bill is also rather pink and looks quite small for Greater.

 

[THE_FERN]

I went for lesser for both. Andy's covered it

 

[ekopa]

Thank you! Very confusing, should Lesser have a complete white collar?

 

[njlarsen]

I have only seen great F in Galapagos. One important feature there was that the white breast continue forward to the chin. I am not sure if this is a constant across the range or if there is geographic variation.
Niels

 

[ekopa]

In many Great Frigatebirds the chin is grey and not white, which seems to be the case on these photos