Natural History of the Waterfowl

About this book

This 500-page comprehensive volume covers the natural history of each of more than 160 members of the ducks, geese, swans and screamers of the world. Beautifully illustrated and authoritative, this remarkable book is destined to become the ultimate reference work on the waterfowl of the world. The eighteen chapters deal with every aspect of waterfowl biology, including habitat, distribution, plumage, migration, feeding, courtship, predators and mortality. A separate appendix includes weights of virtually every species and subspecies of waterfowl. Concise full-colour range maps accompany each species account. More than 750 beautifully reproduced photographs represent a lifetime of intensive research and field study by the author. This definitive volume on the Anseriformes will prove invaluable to anyone interested in the natural history of the waterfowl – whether teacher, student, naturalist, bird watcher, conservationist, aviculturist or ornithologist.

Customer Reviews

Biography

Frank S. Todd, a globally recognised authority on waterfowl and penguins, has authored eight books, including the highly acclaimed Natural History of the Waterfowl. Frank helped establish the California Breeding Program and a captive breeding program for the threatened Harpy Eagle in the early 1970s and was deeply involved in the discovery of the cause of egg-shell thinning and population decline of the California Brown Pelican in the 1970s. Frank joined SeaWorld in San Diego as Corporate Vice-President of Aviculture and Research at SeaWorld in 1972, a position he held for the next 16 years. While there, he created the Penguin Encounter for housing, caring for, displaying and breeding several species of penguins, including Adélie and Emperor Penguins. He also succeeded in propagating a number of waterfowl and other species at SeaWorld and advised numerous zoos and institutions around the world on captive propagation of waterfowl. Frank spent almost 50 seasons in the Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic and high Arctic, educating tens of thousands of tourists and friends about wildlife and the need for vigilant conservation and biological research. He was awarded the Polar Medal by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the prestigious Gold Conservation Medal by the Zoological Society of San Diego and was the recipient of numerous other awards, including election to the American Game Breeders’ Avicultural Hall of Fame and the International Wild Waterfowl Association Hall of Fame in 2000. Frank was a Fellow of the Explorers Club, a member of The All Eight Club, a Senior Research Fellow at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute since the early 1970s and was President of Ecocepts International. He lived and worked out of San Diego until his death on 8 December 2016.