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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Fregatidae
  4. ›
  5. Fregata
  6. ›
  7. Lesser Frigatebird
Lesser Frigatebird
Photo · (c) Genevieve Early, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Lesser Frigatebird

Fregata ariel(Gray, GR, 1845)

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
SULIFORMES
Family
Fregatidae
Genus
Fregata

At a glance

The Lesser Frigatebird is a very large bird, about 70–80 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
70–80 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Lesser Frigatebird look like?

The Lesser Frigatebird is a very large bird, about 70–80 cm long and weighing 780–1250 g.

The lesser frigatebird is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. At around 75 cm (30 in) in length, it is the smallest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters across the Indian and Pacific Oceans as well as off the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
70–80 cm
Weight
780–1250 g
Wingspan
155 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Lesser Frigatebird?

The Lesser Frigatebird is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Lesser Frigatebird eat?

The Lesser Frigatebird feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Lesser Frigatebird live in Australia?

The Lesser Frigatebird is native to Australia, recorded across 28 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning trO.

BreedingTrO : widespread, tropical Indian and Pacific ocean is., also north-west South Atlantic

Non-breedingTo waters off south-east Africa, south-west India and Sri Lanka, throughout Indonesian Arch. and Philippines to Taiwan, New Guinea waters, north Australia and Melanesia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Non-breeding
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded