CIBED - - Great Frigatebird - Kōta‘a Nui* CK

Fregata minor Great Frigatebird Kōta‘a Nui* ^CK

f.FREGATIDAE Frigatebirds

Fregata minor Great Frigatebird Kōta‘a Nui* ^CK

f.FREGATIDAE Frigatebirds

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesGreat Frigatebird ^EN Greater Frigatebird ^EN Man‑o'‑war Bird ^EN Man‑o'‑war Hawk ^EN Man‑of‑war Bird ^EN Bindenfregattvogel ^DE

Local NamesKōta‘a^{RR,MG,AT,MK,MT,AK} Frigate^PL Kōtaha^PL Kōtaha Māli^TNs Kōtaha Tarakura^TNw,MH,RK Kōtaha Talakula^TNs Kōtaha Māri^TNw Māri^MH,RK Ulu Yina^PK,NS Umalawa^PK,NS Uyi^PK,NS Kotawa^PK,NS

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesFregata minor (accepted name) , Fregata minor palmerstoni, Pelecanus minor, Pelecanus palmerstoni

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, c.Birds, f.Frigatebirds, eps.Boobies and Frigates - Bird

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.TETRAPODA, c.AVES, sc.NEOGNATHAE, o.Suliformes, f.FREGATIDAE

Natl. PresencePresentOceanic^P?

Sth. PresenceRR^{++ V}MG^-AT^-MK^PMT^-AK^-PL^-MN^-TK^P

Nth. PresenceTN^-?MH^-RK^-PK^{+ V}NS^-SW^P

VouchersPK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNo Content

HabitatLand and Aquatic; Marine; Nearshore; Oceanic

ThreatenedNationally endangered - moderately

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesFlesh food

IdentificationNo Content

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 7
Video: 1
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BD019_Freg-mino_

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Male and female

Courtship (Midway Island)

Nestlings

Male and female in flight

Compare Great and Lesser

Similar species: Great & Lesser Frigatebirds

Frigate fishing over Lake Tiroto, Atiu

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Male bird (© TVNZ)

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Male and female (jpg)
Courtship (Midway Island) (jpg)
Nestlings (jpg)
Male and female in flight (jpg)
Compare Great and Lesser (jpg)
Similar species: Great & Lesser Frigatebirds (jpg)
Frigate fishing over Lake Tiroto, Atiu (jpg)
Male bird (© TVNZ) (wmv)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Great Frigatebird ^EN Greater Frigatebird^EN Man-o'-war Bird^EN Man-o'-war Hawk^EN Man-of-war Bird^EN Bindenfregattvogel^DE

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

Kōta‘a^{RR,MG,AT,MK,MT,AK} Frigate^PL Kōtaha^PL Kōtaha Māli^TNs Kōtaha Tarakura^TNw,MH,RK Kōtaha Talakula^TNs Kōtaha Māri^TNw Māri^MH,RK Ulu Yina^PK,NS Umalawa^PK,NS Uyi^PK,NS Kotawa^PK,NS

National Name: Kōta‘a Nui* ^CK

Notes: Frigratebird names are very complex.

Island	Status	Main name
National name	CK	Kōta‘a Nui*
Rarotonga	++ V	Kōta‘a
Mangaia	-	Kōta‘a
Ātiu	-	Kōta‘a
Ma‘uke	P	Kōta‘a
Miti‘āro	-	Kōta‘a
Aitutaki	-	Kōta‘a
Palmerston	-	Frigate / Kōtaha
Tongareva-write	-?	Kōtaha Māri / Kōtaha Tarakura
Tongareva-speak	-?	Kōtaha Māli / Kōtaha Talakula
Manihiki	-	Kōtaha Tarakura / Māri
Rakahanga	-	Kōtaha Tarakura / Māri
Pukapuka	+ V	Kotawa / Uyi [Kolokolo Kula] / Umalawa [Female] / Ulu Yina [juv]
Nassau	-	Kotawa / Uyi [Kolokolo Kula] / Umalawa [F] / Ulu Yina [juv]

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Present ?

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	++ V
Mangaia	Absent
Ātiu	Absent
Ma‘uke	Present
Miti‘āro	Absent
Aitutaki	Absent
Palmerston	Absent
Manuae	Absent
Takūtea	Present
Tongareva	Absent ?
Manihiki	Absent
Rakahanga	Absent
Pukapuka	+ V
Nassau	Absent
Suwarrow	Present

Vouchers for:
Fregata minor

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fs fieldspecimen fieldspecimen, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Fregata minor.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.23 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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English and International Names

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National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Fregata minor

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

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Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Fregata minor

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