Looks at what is known about the albatross, a bird of legend and poetry, and examines the conditions that are threatening over three-quarters of all albatross species with extinction.

Famous for their size and elegance in flight, albatrosses are familiar to anyone who has travelled through the southern oceans, and are a flagship family of conservation concern. However, albatrosses are just one of several groups of 'pelagic' birds - those that visit land only to breed, and spend the rest of their lives far from the coast, soaring from ocean to ocean in a never-ending search for food. Mysterious and graceful, these birds can present a formidable identification challenge to even the most experienced birder. This fixed-format ebook provides the answer - the first comprehensive guide to pelagic birds, the albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels and diving petrels. Optimised for iPad, it features the book in crisp, clear high-resolution. A total of 46 detailed, fully zoomable colour plates highlight key ID criteria of the birds in flight, with close-ups of diagnostic regions of the plumage. The plates are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, while the sparkling text brings the world of these amazing birds to life. Sea-watchers all around the world will find this superb field guide indispensable – and no birder will want to be without it.

"Albatrosses are largely confined to the region referred to by early mariners as the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties, otherwise known as the Southern Ocean. 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 dont evade storms, or flee them, or grit their figurative teeth and hang on through 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. It describes the 24 species of albatrosses found worldwide, including the most important species from an Australian perspective (Wandering Albatross, Shy Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Sooty Albatross)"-- Provided by publisher.

Albatrosses are long-lived, oceanic seabirds which have long held a special affection amongst those who travel the oceans. This book explores all aspects of albatross biology, distribution and behaviour, as well as topics such as identification and taxonomy. It recognizes 24 species in four genera.

A complete illustrated guide to these enigmatic seabirds Petrels, albatrosses, and storm-petrels are among the most beautiful yet least known of all the world's birds, living their lives at sea far from the sight of most people. Largely colored in shades of gray, black, and white, these enigmatic and fast-flying seabirds can be hard to differentiate, particularly from a moving boat. Useful worldwide, not just in North America, this photographic guide is based on unrivaled field experience and combines insightful text and hundreds of full-color images to help you identify these remarkable birds. The first book of its kind, this guide features an introduction that explains ocean habitats and the latest developments in taxonomy. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features such as flight manner, plumage variation related to age and molt, seasonal occurrence patterns, and migration routes. Species accounts are arranged into groups helpful for field identification, and an overview of unique identification challenges is provided for each group. The guide also includes distribution maps for regularly occurring species as well as a bibliography, glossary, and appendixes. The first state-of-the-art photographic guide to these enigmatic seabirds Includes hundreds of full-color photos throughout Features detailed species accounts that describe flight, plumage, distribution, and more Provides overviews of ocean habitats, taxonomy, and conservation Offers tips on how to observe and identify birds at sea

Interwoven with recollections of whalers and famous explorers, "Eye of the Albatross" probes the unmistakable environmental impact of the encounters between man and marine life. Safina's portrait results in an eye-opening look at the health of our oceans. 15 illustrations, 13 maps.

The Laysan albatross is called ml in Hawaiian.--