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Great Frigate Birds Animal Themes

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Great Frigate Birds
Print Great Frigate Birds Reading Comprehension


Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 7 to 9
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	7.32

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		frigate, unpopular, comparison, accessory, parental, eye-catching, incubation, resentment, hatches, independence, mid-air, attire, waterproof, virtually, motive, seek
	content words:		Atlantic Oceans

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Great Frigate Birds

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¹     Seabirds living in tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans don't like great frigate birds at all! Their resentment is easily understood – because great frigate birds (or man-o'-war birds) are bullies! Who would like to be chased, harassed, and forced to give up the food that they have just caught? It is no wonder that great frigate birds are unpopular.
 
²     Why do great frigate birds rob other birds? Well, their motive has a lot to do with their feathers and feet. Great frigate birds lack sufficient preening oil on their feathers to make their feathers waterproof. In addition, their feet are not webbed, and they are too short and too small – virtually useless for swimming or for taking off from the water. Since great frigate birds cannot afford to get their wings wet, they need to find other means to gather food. Fortunately, they are superb flyers. They use their gifted skill to intimidate their fellow seabirds, compelling them to throw up the catch in their throats. Once their victims let go of their hard-won food, great frigate birds swoop down to collect their prize.
 
³     Aside from pirating, great frigate birds also make their own catches. They fly above the surface, hold up their wings, and dip their long, hooked beaks into the water to snatch prey. Great frigate birds mainly eat fish and squid. They occasionally supplement their diet with crustaceans, jellyfish, young turtles, baby birds, and eggs.

Paragraphs 4 to 6:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

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Animal Themes

Animal Themes

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Birds

Birds

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Animals

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