The frigates ariel is one of thee five members of the genus Fregata. They are to be found in tropical waters in all oceans. They like inhabiting coastal and pelagic environments in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Description

Some of the members of the genus Fregata which are identical to Fregata ariel are Magnificent frigatebird, Great frigatebird and Christmas Island frigatebird. In all birds of this family, females are always heavier. They mostly feed on fish, which they catch through plunge diving into the sea. They are also highly adapted to soaring high in the oceanic skies. They don’t even have to come ashore in order to roost since they can soar overnight without getting tired.

These birds share very many features although there are many distinguishing characteristics among them. The color of their bodies ranges between orange and gray. In all Fregata ariel birds, the plumage is always black. Young frigatebirds differ slightly from their adult counterparts in terms of body coloration.

Geographical Range

This Fregata species has a wider geographical range than all the other four. This is the reason why scientists have not placed it within the category of vulnerable birds. However, the size of its range seems to be fluctuating. The matter of vulnerability seems not to matter for this bird as a matter of priority.

Although the locations where this bird is found is not do not add up to a large geographical area, the fragmentation of these areas presents this Fregata ariel with higher chances of survival compared to the other four species that belong to the genus Fregata.

For the last ten years, populations of this bird have declined by as much as 10 %. The past three generations have witnessed the greatest ecological changes in the recent history. However, these changes have not been analyzed in terms of the structure of the population.

The breeding colonies are spread across the three oceans. In all the oceans, tropical regions are the hot favorite habitats for Fregata ariel. The West Indian Ocean hosts very many members of these species. These areas include Comoro, Maldive Islands, Comoro Islands, Aldabra and Tromeli Islands.

Other areas where these birds live in many breeding colonies include Solomon Islands, Fiji, Bismarck Arch and Kiribati. Yet other areas with scanty Lesser Fregata populations are Vanuatu, Northern Territory, New South Wales, American Samoa, Nuguria Islands, Cook Islands and in the Arafura Sea.

Challenges and threats

Since lesser frigatebirds are very dependent on tropical environments and aquatic life, they are always faced with challenges of changes in climatic conditions. With the drastic environmental changes of today, the threats are more frequent. This is why conservationists are always in the forefront in urging people all over the world to conserve aquatic environments and save bird such as Fregata ariel from being wiped out in the extinction swoop.

The main areas where conservation efforts should be directed include estuaries, reservoirs streams, wetlands and lakes. Open pelagic waters are also faced with very unique threats. These threats translate into challenges that make life very difficult for breeding colonies of Fregata ariel.