Cormorants, darters, and pelicans of the world

by Paul A. Johnsgard

"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 specie