SEABIRDS: A NATURAL HISTORY. By Anthony J. Gaston.

(2004) 2004 1st US edition. Pp222. Colour photograph plates, b/w illsutrations by Dan Powell, charts, maps, bibliography. Blue boards.

This is a detailed and authoritative study of the sea birds of the world and their environment, based on Anthony J. Gaston's decades of field research into his subjects. Gaston's particular question is the evolution and adaptation of marine species to their environment, and particularly the explanation of a number of their peculiarities, such as their great longevity and slow reproduction rate. Chapters include: Introduction to marine ornithology and oceanography; Types of seabirds - history, taxonomy, diversity; Adaptation, particularly their morphology; Plumage; Distribution and communities - where they are, why they're there, and how this relates to their taxonomic distribution; Feeding behaviour - how to study it, and what you find when you do; Migration and movement, the affect of weather patterns; Breeding, coloniality and its consequences - why colonies in the first place, why are the colonies where they are, why colonies and not territories; Birth and death - some theories; Birth and death - observations in the field. Lots of field research, much consideration of the wider literature, especially in the light of numerous conflicting theories. Informative and readable, and well in the tradition of this fine series of monographs.