Hachison, C.D. 1967 Species Account Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) 21-23 March Southeast Island, Red + Heron Reef Saw one adult female with an orange streamer attached to the left leg. Bird was sitting with a group of resting & courting frigatebirds but I could not determine if it had a nest. The bird failed to return during a 35 minute wait near the resting area. 48 nests as follows: Adult female on egg - 10 Adult female on empty nest - 6 Adult male on egg - 16 Adult male on empty nest - 14 Empty, new construction - 2 / 48 The eggs were all candled (against direct sunlight) and all but two were opaque and dirty. There was a great deal of courting during this wait. March 25 Eastern Is., Midway Atoll. Hachison, C.D. 1967 Species Account Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) 26-30 March Southeast Island, Pine Atoll Afternoon count of birds in northern portion of the island at 3:20 pm - 134 on Scarcrode and 38 flying. A considerable amount of courting, thieving carrying, pond infestation and some nest robbing (for stilts) was observed. (26 March) March 28 An afternoon count of the central roost area turned up 114 frigatebirds (29 in flight). Spent about 40 minutes watching for this species, destroying nests after I had chased birds off in order to check breeding status. I noticed that the birds did not leave a nest if it contained an egg but would immediately drain with one if it was empty. Several female frigatebirds refused to move from their nests even though they were empty and in spite of my showing them around & lifting them up in the air. The majority of the birds involved (14 of 18) in this nest destruction were subadult males. Three subadults would move in rapidly as soon as a bird left an empty nest and one or another would fly over, and grab a handful of the nest. Several adult males also made passes & took some vegetation but not in the same manner as the subadults. The subadults appeared to be doing this for kicks. After making a strike & picking up some vegetation the bird would fly a few feet, drop the vegetation, wheel around and get in line for another pass at the nest. He adults involved in this pilfering appeared to be using the material for courting or nest construction since all flew away with the vegetation. Several of these adults was observed landing at distant nests that appeared to be occupied by females. In view of the damage that would be caused by moving through the entire colony chasing all birds off their nests I stopped taking measurements & surveying nests. Before the season marauding started I checked 12 nests with the following results: AN AF 1 egg - 3 1 egg - 2 empty (new) - 2 empty (new construction) - 6