Cooper Ornithological Society
At-sea distribution and abundance of seabirds off southern California; a 20-year comparison.
The population of black-legged kittiwakes may be lower for several areas of study, a situation not necessarily true amongst other Laridae such as the western gull. This labor of love, rich in detail, was compiled by no less than a dozen researchers who closely tracked the populations of over 30 birds common to a wide area off the coast of southern California. Using such methods as aerial surveys and sophisticated spatial analysis, researchers created distribution maps and tables to describe the ebb and flow of populations. The text for each species describe habitat, behaviors and densities and compare populations from 1975-1983 and 1999-2002. The result is a comprehensive look at which sea birds are abundant and which are declining across an extended period, and how the birds moved in response to habitat and other situations across the course of time. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
