Field guide to the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters of the world

Famous for their size and elegance in flight, albatrosses are familiar to anyone who has travelled through the southern oceans, and are a flagship family of conservation concern. However, albatrosses are just one of several groups of 'pelagic' birds - those that visit land only to breed, and spend the rest of their lives far from the coast, soaring from ocean to ocean in a never-ending search for food. Mysterious and graceful, these birds can present a formidable identification challenge to even the most experienced birder. This book provides the answer - the first comprehensive guide to pelagic birds, the albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels and diving petrels. A total of 46 spectacular colour plates highlight key ID criteria of the birds in flight, with close-ups of diagnostic regions of the plumage. The plates are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, while the sparkling text brings the world of these amazing birds to life. Several extremely rare species, such as Beck's Petrel, are illustrated for the first time, while the New Zealand Storm-petrel, rediscovered as recently as 2004, is also included. Sea-watchers all around the world will find this superb field guide indispensable. The first comprehensive guide to pelagic birds, the albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels and diving petrels.Famous for their size and elegance in flight, albatrosses are familiar to anyone who has travelled through the southern oceans, and are a flagship family of conservation concern. However, albatrosses are just one of several groups of'pelagic'birds - those that visit land only to breed, and spend the rest of their lives far from the coast, soaring from ocean to ocean in a never-ending search for food. Mysterious and graceful, these birds can present a formidable identification challenge to even the most experienced birder - this book provides the answer.A total of 46 spectacular colour plates highlight key ID criteria of the birds in flight, with close-ups of diagnostic regions of the plumage. The plates are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, while the sparkling text brings the world of these amazing birds to life. Several extremely rare species, such as Beck's Petrel, are illustrated for the first time, while the New Zealand Storm-petrel, rediscovered as recently as 2004, are also included.Sea-watchers all around the world will find this superb field guide indispensable. Contents......Page 4 List of species and subspecies......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Taxonomy and the species debate......Page 13 The four families: characteristics and taxonomic relationships......Page 15 Identification......Page 20 Conservation......Page 26 How to use this book......Page 30 Seabird topography......Page 32 Colour plates......Page 33 Albatrosses......Page 123 Fulmarine petrels......Page 144 Prions......Page 152 Bulweria and Psuedobulwaria petrels......Page 158 Gadfly petrels......Page 162 Procellaria petrels......Page 188 Shearwates......Page 192 Diving-petrels......Page 216 Storm-petrels......Page 219 References......Page 238 P......Page 239 W......Page 241 Intended for sea-watchers, this is a comprehensive field guide to pelagic birds - the albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels and diving petrels. A total of 46 colour plates highlight key ID criteria of the birds in flight, with close-ups of diagnostic regions of the plumage. The plates are accompanied by accurate distribution maps.