Illustration of frigate bird
frigate bird
noun
: any of a family (Fregatidae, containing a single genus Fregata) of tropical seabirds having a forked tail and large wingspans that are noted for aggressively taking food from other birds
Examples of frigate bird in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sleeping at sea Some animals have unusual evolutionary adaptations to fit in sleep while avoiding predators and other risks, such as sleep-chewing cows, sleep-standing horses and frigate birds that can sleep and fly at the same time.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023
This sustains plankton at the bottom of the food chain — an effect that's intensified during a La Niña. Pelicans and a soaring frigate bird circle fishermen in the waters around Santa Fe Island in the Galápagos, presumably hoping for a free hand-out of fish.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023
Even the famously long-flying frigate bird can only spend around two months in the air.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2016
One time a great frigate bird perched on a curtain rod and ballooned its ruby red throat up to the size of an elephant’s goiter.
—Devin Murphy, Outside Online, 19 Jan. 2021
Mammoth tusks carved with hunting scenes and with images of Polynesian chiefs, and bone spears from the Aleutian islands, rubbed dusty shoulders with fragments of Indian canoes, a giant stuffed frigate bird and war clubs from the Fiji islands.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Mar. 2021
The nests of various boobies and frigate birds are scattered amidst the greenery underfoot, while their owners dot the sky overhead by the dozens.
—National Geographic, 2 Jan. 2020
In front of us, frigate birds and gray pelicans paraglided on the wind.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2019
Danae explained the Pacific birds, including the magnificent frigate birds, with their Jurassic wingspans.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2019
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023
This sustains plankton at the bottom of the food chain — an effect that's intensified during a La Niña. Pelicans and a soaring frigate bird circle fishermen in the waters around Santa Fe Island in the Galápagos, presumably hoping for a free hand-out of fish.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023
Even the famously long-flying frigate bird can only spend around two months in the air.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2016
One time a great frigate bird perched on a curtain rod and ballooned its ruby red throat up to the size of an elephant’s goiter.
—Devin Murphy, Outside Online, 19 Jan. 2021
Mammoth tusks carved with hunting scenes and with images of Polynesian chiefs, and bone spears from the Aleutian islands, rubbed dusty shoulders with fragments of Indian canoes, a giant stuffed frigate bird and war clubs from the Fiji islands.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Mar. 2021
The nests of various boobies and frigate birds are scattered amidst the greenery underfoot, while their owners dot the sky overhead by the dozens.
—National Geographic, 2 Jan. 2020
In front of us, frigate birds and gray pelicans paraglided on the wind.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2019
Danae explained the Pacific birds, including the magnificent frigate birds, with their Jurassic wingspans.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frigate bird.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1738, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near frigate bird
Cite this Entry
“Frigate bird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frigate%20bird. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
frigate bird
noun
: any of several seabirds noted for their power of flight and the habit of robbing other birds of fish
called also man-o'-war bird
More from Merriam-Webster on frigate bird
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about frigate bird
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