The great frigatebird is a large seabird found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with a small population also in the South Atlantic. It is one of two frigatebird species in the Galapagos. Although great and magnificent frigatebirds appear similar, both having black plumage and males featuring red throat pouches, they can be distinguished by their plumage sheen: male great frigatebirds display a green sheen on their backs, while magnificent frigatebirds have a purple sheen. Females are larger than males and have white breasts, while juveniles exhibit white chests and heads. With a large wingspan, great frigatebirds are adept at soaring over the ocean, rarely needing to flap their wings. However, they are clumsy on land due to their short legs, making walking difficult. Their plumage is not waterproof, so if they get wet, they must dry their feathers in the sun with their wings fully extended, similar to cormorants, before they can fly again. These birds have a varied diet, typically foraging alone or in pairs, but will gather in larger groups when "baitballs" of fish rise to the water's surface. They are often seen around fishing boats and ports, scavenging for scraps. Known for their "pirate-like" behavior, great frigatebirds harass other birds, such as blue-footed boobies, to steal their catches—a behavior known as kleptoparasitism. They also consume the eggs and chicks of other bird species. Great frigatebirds nest in trees, bushes, or occasionally on bare ground. The female constructs a platform nest from sticks, which the male provides. Both parents incubate their single egg and care for the chick, which takes up to four months to fledge. They continue to feed the fledgling as it learns to hunt independently. As a lightly built seabird, the great frigatebird measures up to 105 cm in length and primarily features black plumage. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger than males and possessing white throats and breasts. During the breeding season, males can distend their striking red gular sacs. Great frigatebirds primarily feed on fish taken from the ocean's surface, mostly targeting flying fish, and engage in kleptoparasitism less frequently than other frigatebird species. They typically forage in pelagic waters within 80 km (50 miles) of their breeding colonies or roosting areas.