Multimedia Identification Guide to North Atlantic Seabirds: Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel

This identification guide on the storm-petrels of the North Atlantic is the culmination of many years of at-sea observations by the authors. It is the first in what is planned to be a four-part series on regular and vagrant bird species of the North Atlantic.

The book is accompanied by 2 DVDs with over 120 minutes of both at-sea footage and, for some species, in-hand and at-colony footage. The DVDs follow the contents of the book, allowing cross-referencing, and form an excellent preparation for a seawatch or a pelagic trip. The DVDs are in PAL format (multiregional).

Revisions for this edition include advances in the separation of Atlantic white-bellied Fregettas illustrated with photographs, photographs of all four proposed taxa of the Band-rumped complex including additional discussion in the captions, updates on records of vagrants, map revisions based on new information, extra new photographs, photo guide for Gray-backed Storm-petrel so the guide covers all storm-petrels that frequent the Atlantic, plus other minor revisions.

Series introduction
Key and map guide
Topography
About this guide
Species covered
Overview
Identification

Species accounts
- White-faced Storm-petrel
- Wilson's Storm-petrel
- European Storm-petrel
- Black-bellied Storm-petrel
- 'White-bellied' storm-petrels
- Band-rumped Storm-petrel
- Leach's Storm-petrel
- Swinhoe's Storm-petrel
- Matsudaira's Storm-petrel
- Bulwer's Petrel

Confusion pairs
- White-faced and Red Phalarope
- European and Wilson's
- Wilson's and Band-rumps
- Black-bellied and `white-bellieds'
- Band-rumps and Leach's
- 'Dark-rumped' Leach's and Swinhoe's
- Swinhoe's and Matsudaira's
- Bulwer's and 'all-dark' storm-petrels

Ian Lewington's illustrations of the confusion pairs
References
Acknowledgments
Appendix
Taxonomy in Hydrobates, Fregetta, and Oceanodroma castro complexes
DVDs
Credits
Timeline Disk 1
Timeline Disk 2
ID jogger
About the authors

Seabirds, as epitomized by tubenoses, are among the most enigmatic and sought-after of birds, from distant specks when seawatching to close-up encounters on pelagic trips. But even close-up views can be brief, and the ocean isn't always calm. Knowing what to look for in the critical few seconds that a bird may be in view has long been the trump card held by experienced seabirders - images in books can only go so far towards creating a `real-life' experience. With this new guide, anyone can develop a feel for storm-petrels in life, birds that heretofore have been simply names and pictures in books. How do common species fly in different conditions? How does plumage and shape vary with wear and molt? How does a Swinhoe's Storm-petrel really fly, and is it that different from a Leach's? (Yes, it is!) What does a Band-rumped Storm-petrel look like when among a group of Wilson's Storm-petrels? These are all questions this new video-based multimedia approach helps address, produced by two people who are passionate about tubenoses and have spent much of their time in search of these ocean enigmas.
- Steve N. G. Howell (Author and Senior Field Leader, WINGS Birdwatching Tours Worldwide)

"This is a highly authoritative and engaging work that covers all aspects of the identification of the North Atlantic storm-petrels without ever losing sight of their magical allure. Founded on years of dedicated observation at sea and inspired by the passion of its authors, there could hardly be a better means of preparing for a pelagic trip in the North Atlantic than to study this book and revel in the accompanying DVD clips, of the birds as you might hope to see them!" - Killian Mullarney (Artist, author of the Collins Bird Guide)

"A major contribution to storm-petrel identification from Britain's top pelagic birders. The general approach is thorough and helpful, the footage is a pleasure to watch, and the analyses of flight modes and feeding behavior have real scientific value. A great way to prepare yourself for those all important seconds or, if you're lucky, minutes, when something really exciting turns up."
- Magnus Robb (Author, Petrels Night and Day)

"The unitizing of recent advanced digital video technology, with Bob Flood and Ashley Fisher's special identification approaches and passion for seabirds, has produced the first video-based approach that I regard as a step-forward in the process of learning about seabird identification at sea, suitable for a wide audience. I strongly encourage Bob and Ashley to complete their project on North Atlantic seabirds, and I highly recommend their upcoming video series. Nevertheless, just as a close up, sharp SLR image with detail of a petrel is irreplaceable documentation, video clips will never replace the experience and joy of viewing the seabirds in real life, in their natural environment - the ocean!" - Hadoram Shirihai (Tubenoses Project & Extreme Gadfly Petrel Expeditions)