Man-O'-War-Bird in Santa Barbara County, California
Man-o’-war-bird in Santa Barbara County, California
Man-o’-war-birds are sufficiently uncommon in California to make it worthwhile to record one more. A bird was seen on July 11, 1941, at a distance of as little as 100 feet, along the beach and a short distance inland, about five miles west of Gaviota, Santa Barbara County, California. It was seen by several observers beside myself, one of whom was familiar with the genus in the tropics. The bird was working westward parallel to the shore. Its light head and breast showed that it was an immature individual, probably of Fregata magnificens, since the rufous cast over the head, as described for F. minor, was not noted.
Richard M. Bond
Oakland, California, July 23, 1941