Red Sacs on Male Magnificent Frigatebirds on North Seymour in Galápagos, EC - Encircle Photos

12 Red Sacs on Male Magnificent Frigatebirds on North Seymour in Galápagos, EC

You will never forget seeing a male magnificent frigatebird with an enormous red balloon below the neck. The color is intensified by their black feathers and the surrounding white brush where they perch. This scarlet throat pouch is inflated during mating season to attract females. Notice the deflated sac of the bird on the right. Most pelecaniformes – such as pelicans and related marine birds – have a similar gular pouch. It is designed to scoop up fish and then drain water before eating. But the frigatebird has elevated this feature to a dramatic flamboyance.

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Red Sacs on Male Magnificent Frigatebirds on North Seymour in Galápagos, EC

North Seymour Island, Ecuador

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