Review by Choice Review
Based on fieldwork by the authors and on thousands of museum specimens and photographs, this is a "general identification guide" to the 43 species of gulls in North America and Eurasia. Following the works of J. Dwight, Gulls (Laridae) of the World (1925), and P. J. Grant, Gulls, a Guide to Identification (CH, Oct'82), this is a heroic attempt to summarize accumulated knowledge on identification of a particularly difficult group. It contains detailed accounts of the structure, soft parts, and plumage characteristics of each species. In this volume, which is profusely illustrated with superb paintings and photographs, the color renditions of the subtle shades of gray so necessary to gull identification are reproduced onto the printed page with true, almost stunning, accuracy. Most readers will find the "short" identification sections extraordinarily long and detailed, only to be overwhelmed later by even more detail in the descriptive sections. More in the tradition of a handbook, this clearly is not an instant field identification guide. The detail will be praised by true gull fanatics and will confound, but perhaps challenge, other readers. It will become the reference for gull identification in the Northern Hemisphere for many years. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All levels. S. W. Harris emeritus, Humboldt State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
