When NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer arrived offshore of Tern Island at French Frigate Shoals, dozens of sea birds flew out to investigate the ship. These included Great Frigate birds, or 'Iwa,' which are often seen in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Iwa (which means thief in Hawaiian) are infamous for stealing the food of other seabirds, but catch most of their food on their own.
Frigate
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2015 Hohonu Moana. Download larger version (jpg, 3.2 MB).

When NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer arrived offshore of Tern Island at French Frigate Shoals, dozens of sea birds flew out to investigate the ship. These included Great Frigate birds, or 'Iwa,' which are often seen in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Iwa (which means thief in Hawaiian) are infamous for stealing the food of other seabirds, but catch most of their food on their own.

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