Cormorants, Frigates and family

60 species

Cormorants and shags, anhingas, frigatebirds, gannets, and boobies are all medium to large seabirds that plunge-dive for fish or catch it from the water surface.Cormorants and shags are excellent divers, and underwater they propel themselves with their feet with help from their wings; some cormorant species may even dive as deep as 45 meters (150 ft). They have relatively short wings due to their need for economical movement underwater, and consequently have the highest flight costs of any flying bird. Cormorants nest in colonies around the shore and range around the world, except for the central Pacific islands.Anhingas, darters, or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds. They tend to gather in flocks - sometimes up to about 100 birds but are highly territorial on the nest. These birds are foot-propelled divers which quietly stalk and ambush their prey; then they use their sharply pointed bill to impale the food animal. They do not dive deep.Frigatebirds are a family of seabirds that are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. Able to soar for weeks on wind currents, frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food and roost on trees or cliffs at night. Their main prey are fish and squid, caught when chased to the water surface by large predators such as tuna. Frigatebirds will occasionally rob other seabirds for food and may snatch seabird chicks from the nest. These birds nest colonially in low trees or on the ground on remote islands. Females lay only a single egg and take care of their chick the longest of any bird species; frigatebirds are only able to breed every other year.Gannets and boobies are coastal seabirds found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. These birds usually stay rather close to the coasts, but they can wander for long distances in search of a safe place to land if need be. All species feed entirely at sea and many species feed communally. Their typical hunting behavior is a dive from midair, taking the bird 1-2 m under the water. If prey manages to escape the diving birds at first, they may give chase using their legs and wings for underwater swimming.
show less
Cormorants and shags, anhingas, frigatebirds, gannets, and boobies are all medium to large seabirds that plunge-dive for fish or catch it from the water surface.Cormorants and shags are excellent divers, and underwater they propel themselves with their feet with help from their wings; some cormorant species may even dive as deep as 45 meters (150 ft). They have relatively short wings due to their need for economical movement underwater, and consequently have the highest flight costs of any flying bird. Cormorants nest in colonies around the shore and range around the world, except for the central Pacific islands.Anhingas, darters, or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds. They tend to gather in flocks - sometimes up to about 100 birds but are highly territorial on the nest. These birds are foot-propelled divers which quietly stalk and ambush their prey; then they use their sharply pointed bill to impale the food animal. They do not dive deep.Frigatebirds are a family of seabirds that are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. Able to soar for weeks on wind currents, frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food and roost on trees or cliffs at night. Their main prey are fish and squid, caught when chased to the water surface by large predators such as tuna. Frigatebirds will occasionally rob other seabirds for food and may snatch seabird chicks from the nest. These birds nest colonially in low trees or on the ground on remote islands. Females lay only a single egg and take care of their chick the longest of any bird species; frigatebirds are only able to breed every other year.Gannets and boobies are coastal seabirds found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. These birds usually stay rather close to the coasts, but they can wander for long distances in search of a safe place to land if need be. All species feed entirely at sea and many species feed communally. Their typical hunting behavior is a dive from midair, taking the bird 1-2 m under the water. If prey manages to escape the diving birds at first, they may give chase using their legs and wings for underwater swimming.
show less