Product Description
This second edition of Peter Grant's guide has been extensively revised
and has been reset throughout. Importantly, a further eight species of
gulls occurring on the west coasts of Canada and the USA have been
added.
The
book now covers 31 species and has been increased in length from 280 to
352 pages. More than 280 new photographs have been added or
substituted, bringing the total to 544, including 79 photographs for
the eight North American additional species.
The great
increase in interest in gull identification since the publication of
the first edition (and the author's series on that topic in British
Birds) has helped bring much new information to light. As a result some
revision was made to almost every text page and most of the
identification drawings were improved in some way; in addition, changes
were made to many of the distribution maps. These revisions and
improvements were often quite minor, but others were substantial and
important (see the author's Introduction).
Until recently
gulls were widely regarded as a difficult group and identification and
ageing was often inaccurate or uncertain. This was largely due to the
complexities of immature plumages, which of necessity were generally
unrepresented in standard field guides. Birdwatchers need no longer be
deterred or confounded by that deficiency. The book offers them the
opportunity to advance their skill in field identification by accepting
the challenge rather than shrinking from the difficulties.
and has been reset throughout. Importantly, a further eight species of
gulls occurring on the west coasts of Canada and the USA have been
added.
The
book now covers 31 species and has been increased in length from 280 to
352 pages. More than 280 new photographs have been added or
substituted, bringing the total to 544, including 79 photographs for
the eight North American additional species.
The great
increase in interest in gull identification since the publication of
the first edition (and the author's series on that topic in British
Birds) has helped bring much new information to light. As a result some
revision was made to almost every text page and most of the
identification drawings were improved in some way; in addition, changes
were made to many of the distribution maps. These revisions and
improvements were often quite minor, but others were substantial and
important (see the author's Introduction).
Until recently
gulls were widely regarded as a difficult group and identification and
ageing was often inaccurate or uncertain. This was largely due to the
complexities of immature plumages, which of necessity were generally
unrepresented in standard field guides. Birdwatchers need no longer be
deterred or confounded by that deficiency. The book offers them the
opportunity to advance their skill in field identification by accepting
the challenge rather than shrinking from the difficulties.
