man-of-war bird n. (Zool.), The frigate bird, a long-billed warm-water seabird with wide wingspan and forked tail; also applied to the skua gulls, and to the wandering albatross.
... shot an albatross or man-of-war bird, so called from its manner of skimming through the air after other birds, which the seamen compare to sailing. It measured seven feet from pinion to pinion. On the fifth week of our separation from the fleet we made the Island of San Domingo, and on ... — A Sailor of King George • Frederick Hoffman
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