Magnificent frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

The Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is a bird found in United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Ecuador, and 3 more countries. Tropical coasts and seas around the Americas. It eats fish, insects and other small invertebrates and small mammals and birds. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

See the Magnificent frigatebird on the 3D globe →

Scientific name	Fregata magnificens
Region	North America
Found in	United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Ecuador, and 3 more countries

🏡 Where the Magnificent frigatebird lives

Tropical coasts and seas around the Americas.

🍽️ What it eats

🐟 Fish60%
🐛 Insects & bugs10%
🐭 Mammals & birds10%
🦎 Reptiles & frogs10%
🦴 Leftovers (carrion)10%

A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).

Conservation status

LCNTVUENCREWEX

Least ConcernThere are plenty of these birds.

💡 Males puff up a big red balloon on their throat to attract mates.

Hear the Magnificent frigatebird

Recorded by Bobby Wilcox (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC411510. Trimmed to a few seconds.

Questions about the Magnificent frigatebird

Where does the Magnificent frigatebird live?

The Magnificent frigatebird lives in United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Ecuador, and 3 more countries. Tropical coasts and seas around the Americas.

What does the Magnificent frigatebird eat?

fish (about 60%), insects and other small invertebrates (about 10%), small mammals and birds (about 10%), reptiles and frogs (about 10%), dead animals (carrion) (about 10%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.

Is the Magnificent frigatebird endangered?

There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.

More birds from North America

Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.