All Flights Cancelled
Great frigatebirds (Fregata minor ridgwayi) owe their unrivaled agility in the air to how light they are, relative to their wingspan; however, one key to their maneuverability-providing lightness leaves them vulnerable to waterlogging. Whereas most birds have a uropygial gland that waterproofs their feathers with oil, frigatebirds have evolved not to have one. When air and feathers are dry, great frigatebirds use their in-flight agility to assault other seabirds in the air and steal food from them–earning them their Spanish name of Pájaro Pirata (Pirate Bird). Their especially light feathers lack oil–hence, waterproofing. Consequently, frigatebirds can’t land in the ocean; and their wings rapidly lose lift during rain. It is therefore easy to project unhappy frustration onto this grounded adolescent female, who had no choice other than to wait out the rain on the ground. Genovesa Island, Galápagos, Ecuador, 06 February 2015. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5, Gary Glen Price, Capture One Pro.
2015-02-06b Isla Genovesa Lumix P1000383 All Flights Cancelled.jpg
All Flights Cancelled
Great frigatebirds (Fregata minor ridgwayi) owe their unrivaled agility in the air to how light they are, relative to their wingspan; however, one key to their maneuverability-providing lightness leaves them vulnerable to waterlogging. Whereas most birds have a uropygial gland that waterproofs their feathers with oil, frigatebirds have evolved not to have one. When air and feathers are dry, great frigatebirds use their in-flight agility to assault other seabirds in the air and steal food from them–earning them their Spanish name of Pájaro Pirata (Pirate Bird). Their especially light feathers lack oil–hence, waterproofing. Consequently, frigatebirds can’t land in the ocean; and their wings rapidly lose lift during rain. It is therefore easy to project unhappy frustration onto this grounded adolescent female, who had no choice other than to wait out the rain on the ground. Genovesa Island, Galápagos, Ecuador, 06 February 2015. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5, Gary Glen Price, Capture One Pro.
2015-02-06b Isla Genovesa Lumix P1000383 All Flights Cancelled.jpg