Albatrosses and petrels across the world
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Albatrosses and petrels across the world
（Bird families of the world, 11）
Oxford University Press, 2004
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [431]-478) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Visiting all the world's seas, the 125 species of albatross and petrel are the most oceanic and widespread of all seabirds. The nesting islands tenanted by these remarkable birds include some of the remotest atolls and some of the bleakest ice-bound Antarctic islands on the planet. Despite their penchant for the remote, petrels are now well studied ashore during breeding and, thanks to the rapid development of satellite tracking and similar techniques, when they roam the high seas. In this comprehensive and elegantly written book, Michael Brooke, who has visited some 40 countries in pursuit of birds, has brought together a wealth of information on all aspects of the biology of the species. He considers why Short-tailed Shearwaters nesting off Australia make regular 10,000 km round trips to Antarctica to harvest a single meal for their chicks, and he discusses the fearsome threat posed to most of the world's 21 albatross species by modern fishing techniques, especially long-lining. Following the ten introductory chapters come 125 individual species accounts, each accompanied by a detailed distribution map.
These accounts are the most accessible and up-to-date summaries of each species' biology currently available. The book is enhanced by 16 colour plates and many delightful line drawings by John Cox, and the text is also liberally illustrated with photographs. Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World will appeal to all seabird enthusiasts, whether non-specialists keen to learn more of the species that can be seen on a pelagic cruise, or professionals eager to discover how the extraordinary lifestyles of albatrosses and petrels are adaptations to a life on the ocean waves.
Table of Contents
- List of colour plates
- List of abbreviations
- Plan of the book and notes on reading the species accounts
- PART I: GENERAL CHAPTERS
- 1. An Introduction to the Petrels
- 2. The Origins and Radiation of the Petrels
- 3. The Colonial Imperative and its Impact on Behaviour
- 4. The Build up to Laying
- 5. Petrel Eggs: The Long Haul from Laying to Hatching
- 6. The Chick's Passage from Egg to the High Seas
- 7. Factors Influencing the Breeding Success of Petrels
- 8. The Life History of Petrels
- 9. How Does a Petrel Find Food at Sea: Some Developing Answers
- 10. Perils for Petrels
- PART II: SPECIES ACCOUNTS
- References
- Appendix 1: A summary of aspects of the breeding of the 79 species of Procellariidae
- Appendix 2: Scienfific names of birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, insects, and plants mentioned in the text
- Index
by "Nielsen BookData"