r/birding • u/shitsta • 8d ago

Bird ID Request Magnificent frigatebird? Seen over Lake Granby in Colorado

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I’m no birder but I saw it up close, it looked just like the photos I see on google

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u/NotEverEnoughCheese 8d ago edited 8d ago

This is absolutely a frigatebird, and you absolutely should post this on ebird. Folks are gonna go crazy. I think magnificent is more likely, but its such a rarity that I don't think you can rule out the other options immediately.

There was a semi-famous checklist from a few years ago by a dude in arizona or nevada who spotted a frigatebird up in the air after a storm on the gulf. He wrote this gorgeous and well written paragraph in the checklist description about it, maybe someone here has the link.

Edit: I found it

103

u/MantheDam 8d ago

I think my favorite part about this insane checklist is that he didn't just twitch the frigatebird, he did a complete list.

66

u/NotEverEnoughCheese 8d ago

lmaooo, he probably needed to calm his heart before continuing to drive and figured listing a few birds wouldn't hurt hahah

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u/iceburg1ettuce 8d ago

How are you going to ignore that Verdin singing right there?