Cormorants, Darters and Pelicans of the World | Cormorões, Anhingas e Pelicanos do Mundo | Cormorans, Anhingas et Pelicans du Monde

Description

Cormorants, Darters and Pelicans of the World
Johnsgar. Paul A.

Smithsonian Books (1 Jun. 1993)
Hardback 462pp Illustrated 22.9 x 3.2 x 29.2 cm
ISBN 9781560982166
Language: English

Birds in the order Pelecaniformes share biological traits such as feeding predominantly on fish and incubating only a limited clutch of eggs (one or two) by the transmission of heat from the foot webs. This meticulous study, first published in 1993, provides a worldwide survey of the 32 species of cormorants and shags, two species of darters and seven species of pelicans, examining their biology, behaviour, plumage, distribution and ecology, and including colour photographs and anatomical drawings.

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.