Seabirds: A Natural History

by Anthony J. Gaston

This readable guide to the seabirds of the world provides updated material on every aspect of this fascinating group of birds. Ornithologist Anthony J. Gaston has devoted decades to the study of these beautiful and engaging birds, and he explains in detail what is special about being a seabird and why―like us―they live a long time and reproduce very slowly. Enriched with personal anecdotes from the field and remarkable photographs from John Chardine and Tim Lash, this book will appeal to students, birdwatchers, ornithologists, and naturalists alike.
The book covers the gamut of seabirds. It includes information on seabird types, adaptation and plumage, how they are distributed into communities, feeding behavior, migration, breeding, and the consequences of coloniality. The author concludes with a thoughtful analysis and discussion of the population dynamics and life-history strategy of seabirds.



A copublication with Christopher Helm/A & C Black

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2004

About the author

Tony Gaston, D. Phil (Oxon), is a research scientist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, working on the conservation of marine and arctic birds. He specializes in studying birds in remote places; forest birds in India, pheasants in the Himalayas, Thick-billed Murres in the Arctic and the elusive Ancient Murrelet in the coastal rain-forests of British Columbia. In India he initiated the Himachal Wildlife Project, resulting in the establishment of the Great Himalaya National Park. He is married to Anjali, a well-known East Indian dancer. Their favourite pastime is watching night fall in places where there are no street lights.