What bird appears on the national flag of Kiribati?

The bird on Kiribati’s national flag is a frigatebird.

Shown in gold flying above the rising sun, the frigatebird is a major symbol of Kiribati’s maritime environment. The country is a widely scattered Pacific island nation, so the bird evokes command over the sea, freedom and traditional Kiribati dance patterns.

The flag’s lower half contains three blue-and-white wavy stripes representing the Pacific Ocean and Kiribati’s three island groups: the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands. The sun has 17 rays, symbolising the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba. Together, the design connects the country’s geography, oceanic identity and equatorial location.

Kiribati adopted the flag at independence on 12 July 1979. Its design derives from the badge created for the former Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony, which was granted in 1937. The bird is sometimes confused with an eagle or albatross, but the flag’s official description specifically identifies it as a frigatebird.