Genovesa Island
Just about two months ago the frigatebirds were still in a frenzy of display - cooing and fluttering, with open wings and inflated bright red balloon gular pouches. Now the chicks are hatching from the single eggs, which were laid on a fragile platform of twigs, by the female frigates that the courting males enticed out of the sky with their spectacular exhibits. The chick pictured here was still an egg last week when we visited Genovesa. We can honestly say, “I remember you when you were just an egg”, which is really quite fun!
This morning the mother frigate fed her tiny chick by opening her mouth and letting the floppy little bird stick itself – at least half of its body disappeared from view, at one point - into her throat. It seemed to us, as we watched the baby feed, that it had an abundant breakfast today, but this week old chick has a lot of meals ahead and growing to do. It must sit on its flimsy nest platform for more than 5 months. While awaiting the next meal, it will withstand the glare of the hot equatorial sun on some days and on others, it will shiver in the chill “garua” showers. Then, once the juvenile bird is fledged it will still be dependent on its parents for over a year. It is thought that great frigates are not fully mature until five years of age, hence indeed this chick has a long road ahead of it!
Just about two months ago the frigatebirds were still in a frenzy of display - cooing and fluttering, with open wings and inflated bright red balloon gular pouches. Now the chicks are hatching from the single eggs, which were laid on a fragile platform of twigs, by the female frigates that the courting males enticed out of the sky with their spectacular exhibits. The chick pictured here was still an egg last week when we visited Genovesa. We can honestly say, “I remember you when you were just an egg”, which is really quite fun!
This morning the mother frigate fed her tiny chick by opening her mouth and letting the floppy little bird stick itself – at least half of its body disappeared from view, at one point - into her throat. It seemed to us, as we watched the baby feed, that it had an abundant breakfast today, but this week old chick has a lot of meals ahead and growing to do. It must sit on its flimsy nest platform for more than 5 months. While awaiting the next meal, it will withstand the glare of the hot equatorial sun on some days and on others, it will shiver in the chill “garua” showers. Then, once the juvenile bird is fledged it will still be dependent on its parents for over a year. It is thought that great frigates are not fully mature until five years of age, hence indeed this chick has a long road ahead of it!
