Christmas frigatebird  (Fregata andrewsi)

Range

Found in the northeast Indian Ocean, these birds are only known to breed on Christmas Island (4). The distribution of birds at sea is not well documented but they may wander widely and are known from the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand (6) and northern Australia (4).

View a distribution map for this species at UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Habitat

Although these birds do not settle on the water, they inhabit the open ocean, returning to land only to roost and breed. Both nesting and roosting occur on a small area of Christmas Island, in tall forest close to the shore (4). Nesting sites are preferentially in the lee of the prevailing southeast winds (4).

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