Conservation status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Common name: Christmas frigatebird or Christmas Island frigatebird
Scientific name: Fregata andrewsi
Type: bird
Diet: little known (mostly flying fish, squids)
Length: 89–100 cm (wingspan of 205–230 cm)
Weight: 15 kg
If you thought that this bird is associated with Christmas, Santa, or any end-of-the-year festivities… well, nice try. The bird derives its name from the fact that it is endemic to Christmas Island – an island that is found a few hundred kilometers from Indonesia (and therefore never gets snowy during winters). Outside the breeding season, it disperses widely throughout Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. This species is occasionally seen near Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo, the Andaman Islands and the Keeling islands.
Today, only 3,600 ~ 7,200 individuals remain in the wild. Habitat destruction, hunting, weather conditions, and the introduction of Yellow crazy ants to the island are known to be driving the population down.
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References:
Animals in South-East Asia 