Frigate Birds

This passage is about the interesting way that frigate birds live.

Lexile Level: 870L

Categories: Animals & Nature

Out of all the birds in the world, none fly more than the frigate birds. They fly for weeks at a time without ever landing. They fly great distances too, as they migrate from the Arctic to the Caribbean. They coast on updrafts of warm air, so sailors at sea often associate the birds with approaching weather changes. Frigate birds do not swim, so they cannot land on the water like pelicans. Also they cannot take off from a flat surface, so they can only land on objects like trees or cliffs. As a result of these facts, they spend most of their days in the air. They get food by stealing it from other birds. Because of this behavior, they are nicknamed "pirate birds" or "man-of-war birds." They are huge birds with wingspans that stretch seven feet. Their tails are short and spread wide. From below they look like giant kites, soaring in the air effortlessly.