The coat of arms of Kiribati shows a yellow frigatebird over a rising sun on a red background among white and blue stripes (symbol of the Pacific) and the 3 groups of stripes represent (Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands). The 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (former Ocean Island).

The coat of arms was proposed on 1 May 1937 to the then British Gilbert and Ellice Islands and was made the official coat of arms of Kiribati in 1979 with the new motto.

Christmas Island Frigatebird on a branch.

Frigatebirds (also listed as "frigate bird", "frigate-bird", "frigate", "frigate-petrel") are a family of seabirds called Fregatidae which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird. The frigate bird appears on the national Flag of Kiribati.