Great Frigatebird ( Fregata minor ) 
Current Status : Abundant resident and third most abundant breeding species 
" [Maximum POBSP^population estimates 6,000 in February 1965 * niTnu ^TPOF^pj 
population estimate; 1,000 in November 1963 . 
Prior Records : The U. S. Exploring Expedition (Cassin, 1858 ) found Great 
Frigatebirds incubating fresh eggs in January l84l and noted that the nests 
were built on the ground because of the absence of trees, 
/ Donaghho (1952) stated that Frigatebirds were common in July 1938 but 
he undoubtedly included both species of frigatebirds in this statement. In 
the spring of 1939 J.E.A, Kinney banded 200 adult frigatebirds, some of which 
may have been Lesser Frigatebirds, One of these was later recaptured on 
Tongareva (Munro, 1944). 
Population ; The population estimates are relatively inaccurate and at this 
time we can only conclude that there is considerable periodic variation in 
the population with peak numbers bd4**g present in the summer (see. Table 
) 
Tab! e 
Great Frigatebird populations on Knderbury Island * 
mid-Feb. late Feb. late May mid-July early Oct. rally 
2000(153) 
5000 (4710) 
5000 (4304) 
- 3000(2278) 
mid-Nov 
1000 ( 866 ) 
64 . 
1965 6000(2662) 
4000(2554) 
1800 ( 1448) 
—-TTs——— c ■—— • 7~z Fhp nnm 1 1 -1 i on e^timabe. the second the brcao 1 
noculation vh ich is based on relatively accurate nest counts and which may be a be.ter 
indication of population size than the population es t imates, — 
Annual Cycle; There is a definite annual cycle in this species although it*T~ 
; cc Ac \a>ck y 
may vary s lagh^l y from year to year. In 1964 the cycle apparently began later 
than in 1965 as appears to be true for a number of other species. 
Table 
Nesting Activity of the Great Frigate i rd on Knderbury Island ** 
mid-Feb. late Feb* late May mid-July early Oct* early Nov 
mid-Nov, 
1963 
665-735-955 
46-0-387 
1964 
77-1-1 
1204-(948) 
19~(1115) 
1965 1310-21-0 
825-651-264 
47-346-331 
**" The ^irst f igure is the. number of nests containing eggs f * the second the number 
with small young 9 and the third the number with large young. In July and November, 
1964 snail and large young were not distinguished in our counts. 
