Cormorants, Darters and Pelicans of the World

Johnsgard,Paul A

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Author
Johnsgard,Paul A
Publish Date
05/17/1993
Book Type
Hardcover
Publisher Name
SMTHSON
Number of Pages
445
Edition
First Edition
ISBN-10
1560982160
ISBN-13
9781560982166
SKU
9781560982166

Description

Whether it is an elusive darter stalking its prey in a tropical swamp, a flock of cormorants cooperatively driving a frenzied school of fish into the shallows of a lake or river, or brown pelicans plummeting into the ocean, these ancient groups of web-footed birds in the order Pelecaniformes offer remarkable behavioral and structural diversity. As fish eaters, they are highly susceptible to poisons and serve as biological indicators for toxic materials.
In this first worldwide survey of cormorants, darters, and pelicans, Paul A. Johnsgard provides a color illustration of nearly every species and a variety of anatomical drawings, and he summarizes the species' status and biology, including ecology, behavior, distribution, plumage, and morphology.
The first section of the book focuses on comparative biology, including all 32 species of Cormorants and shags (Phalacrocoracidae), two species of darters (Anhingidae), and seven species of pelicans (Pelecanidae). The accounts cover species' phylogeny, taxonomy, zoogeography, comparative anatomy, behavior, reproductive biology, population and breeding dynamics, and conservation biology. Detailed line drawings of the heads of all species noting age or seasonal variations help the reader identify and distinguish between each species. The book also includes keys to each species and the origins of their scientific and vernacular names.