Albatrosses

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Albatrosses are largely confined to the Southern Ocean where the meteorology is so extreme that the region might reasonably be viewed as essentially one enormous, endless storm. The single most distinctive characteristic of the albatrosses is that they ride storms. Aside from a few close relatives among the petrels and shearwaters, they are the only animals (of any kind) that do this. They don't evade storms, or flee them, they climb aboard and ride them effectively throughout their lives. This work outlines the life histories of these spectacular birds, and explores some of the main strategies and tactics that have evolved to enable them to achieve mastery of one of the most hostile regions on the planet.

Reviews

"This illustrated guide to albatrosses examines the mythology, habitat and behaviors of these large and hardy seabirds and provides a detailed glimpse of why they are able to endure some of the most inhospitable conditions on the planet. Lindsey, a noted Australian zoologist, ornithologist and writer, discusses the flight habits, courtship and nesting cycles, feeding habits and biological details of these birds for the benefit of ornithology students and bird enthusiasts. General audiences, however, will appreciate the drawings and stunning color photographs from remote locations such as Antarctica, South Africa and Australia."-- (06/01/2009)

Author Bio

Terence Lindsey is an experienced zoologist, naturalist, ornithologist, writer, photographer and illustrator and has travelled widely throughout Australasia and written extensively on the wildlife of Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea over the past thirty years. For many years he was associated with the Department of Vertebrate Zoology at the Australian Museum, and conducted courses in ornithology at the University of Sydney. He has directed and/or scripted a number of wildlife documentaries for television, and he has written and produced an extensive range of books, articles and encyclopedia entries for leading natural history publishers around the world.