Great Frigatebird--Male
Photographing wildlife has taught me a great deal about the amazing creatures all about us. One of the things I have definitely come to appreciate is how hard so many males of the bird species must work to capture the females' attention! Ladies where did we go wrong?? With elaborate displays, fly bys, fancy plumage, complex dances--in the end it is ladies' choice. And very few birds work harder than the male frigatebird.
A pouch hidden within their neck feathers can be inflated like a giant heart-shaped balloon. The male will sit on a branch, pouch expanded, drumming his beak together, singing, spreading out his wings and shimmying, trying in earnest to capture the attention of a female who is looking for the reddest and largest of balloons in a mate. I have included two links to short videos showing this process. It is quite the sight to see and hear, and you do find yourself rooting for the heartsick males to find love .
video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=Awrih9dAhfBk_XkH5Y...
Great Frigatebird--Male
Photographing wildlife has taught me a great deal about the amazing creatures all about us. One of the things I have definitely come to appreciate is how hard so many males of the bird species must work to capture the females' attention! Ladies where did we go wrong?? With elaborate displays, fly bys, fancy plumage, complex dances--in the end it is ladies' choice. And very few birds work harder than the male frigatebird.
A pouch hidden within their neck feathers can be inflated like a giant heart-shaped balloon. The male will sit on a branch, pouch expanded, drumming his beak together, singing, spreading out his wings and shimmying, trying in earnest to capture the attention of a female who is looking for the reddest and largest of balloons in a mate. I have included two links to short videos showing this process. It is quite the sight to see and hear, and you do find yourself rooting for the heartsick males to find love .
video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=Awrih9dAhfBk_XkH5Y...