The Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife: Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean

The first of its kind, this spectacularly illustrated book is the only complete guide to the wildlife and natural history of the vast and beautiful Antarctic region. Covering the Antarctic continent, the southern ocean, and the subantarctic islands, this guide illustrates all of the region's breeding birds and marine mammals with stunning color photographs. In addition to the color plates, it features distribution maps and up-to-date species accounts expertly detailing abundance, seasonal status, and conservation prospects. The volume also covers numerous nonbreeding species, migrants, and vagrants. Regional chapters describe all of the subantarctic islands, in addition to most regularly visited sites in Antarctica, and are accompanied by maps of each area and photographs of each locale. These chapters present detailed information on geography, climate, geology, general ecology, and flora. They also address conservation efforts - past, present, and planned. The book concludes with practical information about visiting the area, including details on the best-available landing sites and notes on seasonal weather conditions. This is an indispensable companion for a trip far south, as well as an informative volume for anyone interested in the Antarctic region's remarkable, occasionally strange, and frequently beautiful animals. It features 35 color plates and over 600 color photographs. It illustrates and maps the distribution of all of the region's breeding birds and marine mammals. It includes information on many non-breeders, migrants, and vagrants. It features expert text reflecting recent advances in taxonomy. It covers all of the subantarctic islands as well as Antarctica's regularly visited sites. It offers travel tips, including weather considerations and landing sites.

Table of Contents:
List of colour plates 6 Preface 7 Referees for this book 7 Acknowledgements 8 Background to the research work 10 Layout of the Book 11 The Maps 12 Abbreviations 12 Synopsis of the region 13 The Antarctic and Subantarctic Environments: The Southern Ocean 13 Geological History 18 Geography and Climate 20 Sea Environment 25 Habitats and vegetation 29 Avifauna 30 Marine Mammals 33 Conservation in the Region 36 Checklist of Birds and Marine Mammals of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean 40 History of Antarctic Exploration 46 Bird and marine mammal topography 53 Species Accounts Birds Penguins 54 Great albatrosses 86 Small and medium albatrosses 107 Sooty albatrosses, giant petrels and distinct petrels 129 Gadfly petrels 143 Procellaria petrels and shearwaters 158 Blue Petrel and prions 173 Storm-petrels and diving-petrels 184 Cormorants and shags of the Southern Ocean 192 Gannets 207 Large skuas 210 Stercorarius skuas 218 Gulls and terns 223 Endemic and indigenous species of Subantarctic islands in the S Indian and S Atlantic Oceans and the Falklands 237 Endemic and indigenous non-passerines of New Zealand's Subantarctic islands 271 Endemic and indigenous passerines of New Zealand's subantarctic islands 281 Endemic and indigenous passerines of New Zealand's subantarctic islands 287 Marine Mammals Seals 294 Cetaceans 315 Regional descriptions (with tables of breeding species) Subantarctic islands off South America (and Checklist of Falkland Islands birds) 369 South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea 388 South Atlantic Islands 405 Subantarctic islands in the Indian Ocean 416 Subantarctic islands south of New Zealand 434 The Ross Sea 461 East Antarctica 470 Peter I Oy 475 Other Regions and Islands 476 Islands off southern Chile and southern Argentina 476 Tasmania Group 478 Gateways to the Antarctic: pelagic and other birds and marine mammals in southern South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand 480 Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel and sea area south of Tierra del Fuego 480 Seabird and whale viewing off South Africa 482 Observing Southern Ocean seabirds and cetaceans off Australia 484 Seabird and sea mammal viewing around New Zealand 486 Bibliography 490 Appendix 495 Organizations and Contacts in the Region 495 About the authors 496 Index 497

About the Author :
Hadoram Shirihai is an award-winning ornithologist and the author of "The Birds of Israel, The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds", and "Sylvia Warblers" (Princeton).

Review :
Goes well beyond describing the mammals and birds, offering a general treatise on the natural history of Antarctica. -- Charles F. Wurster Quarterly Review of Biology This is without a doubt the most authoritative guide to the region's wildlife. Wildlife Activist