Christmas Island Frigatebird

The Christmas Island frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi) is a large seabird in the family Fregatidae, critically endangered and endemic as a breeding species to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, an Australian external territory. With a total population estimated at fewer than 5,000 individuals and a breeding colony restricted to a single location, it is considered one of the most threatened seabirds in the world. Like all frigatebirds, this species is a masterful aerial predator and kleptoparasite, stealing food from other seabirds in flight. Males are distinguished by an inflatable red gular pouch used in elaborate courtship displays. Non-breeding birds disperse widely across the tropical Indian Ocean and parts of the western Pacific, ranging into the seas around Southeast Asia. The species nests in tall trees within the rainforest of Christmas Island. Threats include habitat degradation from phosphate mining and the invasion of yellow crazy ants, which have devastated much of the island's forest floor fauna. The species' extreme dependence on a single breeding site makes it highly vulnerable to any localized disturbance, disease, or catastrophic event. International conservation efforts focus on protecting remaining habitat and controlling invasive species on Christmas Island.