However, having used Hawks in Flight by Pete Dunne as my essential tool for hawk watching since 1992, it seemed that unlocking the mystery might be possible if tackled by Dunne.
As he points out early into the book gulls are anathema to some people - "So daunting is this family that one accomplished field trip leader of my acquaintance, a person who can identify any North American warbler in three notes or less, categorically asserts, 'I don't do gulls!'" I too know of people who share this feeling, especially as it relates to anything other than gulls in full adult plumage.
Early on Dunne identifies traditional gull ID problems.
The pitfalls and challenges are familiar to all who have tackled gulls, but this section sheds no new light on them it seems to me.
The book is extremely well illustrated and gulls are grouped as Small to Medium-sized Gulls and Hooded Gulls, Grey-backed White-headed Gulls, Large Dark-backed Gulls, and so on, rather than following a rigid taxonomic structure.
In this manner gulls of similar colour and structure are presented together thereby facilitating comparison between potentially confusing species.
As might be expected great attention is paid to gulls in their various stages of juvenile and subadult plumages, which is where the real identification issues arise. Hybrids are also touched on; certain species interbreed freely and the young bear characteristics of both parents. I shudder to think how many times I have been befuddled by gulls of uncertain pedigree!
At the end of the book there is a quiz and review. I did passably well, but whether it was due to having read the book, or applying many years of experience, I am not sure. And I still flunked some of the questions!
I think this is a fine book, a volume I enjoyed immensely, a reference that will occupy an important place on my shelves, along with the other excellent tomes on gulls, going all the way back to the work of that great gull pioneer P.J. Grant. I am just not sure that it accomplishes the goal it sets out to do.
Gulls Simplified: A Comparative Approach to Identification
Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson
Paperback - $24.95 - 9780691156941 - 208 pages - 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" - 330 colour illustrations
Publication date: 13 November 2018
Parece ser un buen libro, interesante y con información sobre como identificar las diferentes especies de estas aves. No sabía de su existencia, casualmente hace unos días encargué por Amazon Gulls of the world, un libro de Firefly Boooks que ya tienes, me gustó el estilo, ya tengo el de los pájaros carpinteros y el de los buhos del mundo
ReplyDeleteSaludos
I find gulls a total mystery. I seldom ever see them and when I do they all look much the same to me!!!!! Happy week Diane
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteYou know I love the gulls... and am thoroughly enjoying the book you recommended several months back, so that'll do! YAM xx
Gulls are often maligned here. And are often lumped together as 'seagulls' without any attempt to discern which gull it is.
ReplyDeleteAnd I will freely admit that I struggle with identifying them - but appreciate them nonetheless.
In Australia it should be pretty straightforward since you have only three species to deal with, all distinctly different one from the other.
DeleteLooks a nicely illustrated book.
ReplyDeleteOne of the 'seagull's are I call them took a hot chip right from my mouth whilst in Far North Queensland, cheeky bird!
After all the gulls I saw in England that looked so different from those in Michigan, I think I could use that book. Thanks for an excellent and informed review. It does sound like a good one.
ReplyDeleteI have just started putting all the bazillion gull pictures I have in one file with the goal of eventually trying to ID them. almost certainly one of the photo goals I will never completely accomplish.
ReplyDeleteEn opportunistisk författare som tar itu med att beskriva måsfåglar. Jag har svårt att skilja dem åt förstås och jag har ofta undrat om de inte korsar sig med varandra vilket du nu bekräftar. Vi människor har ju en tendens att inte värdera det vanligt förekommande på samma sätt som det unika men jag ser livet, varje individs önskan att överleva och det fyller mig med respekt, respekt för allt liv.
ReplyDeleteI can only say, Gunilla, I wish you were my neighbour!
DeleteHello David!
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very interesting!
I love gulls and i like taking pictures of them and observe them too!
In the Netherlands the gulls are double size from the gulls in Greece!
I find them very interesting birds! Have a happy week!
Dimi...
I'm so impressed about all the beautiful photos, David!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot to learn as there appears to be so many species here on this Island, we have bought a book to help identify some but have difficulty getting good photographs. I am hoping I will get better with time.
ReplyDeleteThere is no substitute for field observation. Over time much becomes clear, but this is a difficult group of birds. Enjoy them always, however.
DeleteI must admit to a great deal of ignorance when it comes to identifying anything but the mature versions of our frequently seen species. There are however a small but dedicated band of gull-watchers who spend their time at gull hot-spots - usually places where household waste is consigned to landfill - or else standing on windswept headlands with their scopes focussed on distant white specks. I'm sure they'd be very excited over a book like this.
ReplyDeleteHello, This book sounds perfect for me. I have an awful time with id-ing gulls. I love being at the beach and watching the gulls. Thanks for the review. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteNice book. There are so many gulls and so many slight variations it's often hard to know exactly what you are seeing. But one thing about gulls I found very strange is there are none in southern Japan. It was strange NOT to see them. I guess I don't know enough about them to know where they are located world wild as they have been everywhere else I have traveled to. Guess the book would help! Happy new week.
ReplyDeleteHi David. I too can't help but think that the author had tongue in cheek when he decided on that title. And the chap who "doesn't do gulls", I met him and her on many occasions. For many birders it is still a leap in the dark to realise (often with intense peer pressure) that to be accepted as a "real" birder, they have to be into gulls. And too bad if they don't conform and end up as a "dude". You see, there's a lot of snobbery around gulls and the ability to identify the brownest, most boring looking juv gull in a pack of many hundreds lounging along the shore.
ReplyDeleteIt all makes for good fun, but as you say, there is no substitute for experience in the field.
Hi David - another excellent review about a book that looks so professional and detailed. I was fascinated by your earlier book review 'The Most Perfect Thing' about a Bird's Egg ... which had lots of details on gulls in it. I think I'll leave my gull knowledge with that book - but can see this one would be really useful for many ornithologists or biologists - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteAmigo David, estoy seguro que el cuestionario lo realizaste bien, ¡¡pero por lo que sabes!! No porque hubieses leído el libro amigo mío. Al parecer y por lo que comentas es un gran libro de gaviotas, aunque el titulo sea algo recurrente.
ReplyDeleteUn fuerte abrazo de tu amigo español y alicantino.
A great and interesting book review. The book looks so good as I must admit I am one of those people who does not really "do gulls" apart from adults that is!!
ReplyDeleteHello David,
ReplyDeleteThis book looks good!
Well I recently bought: Gulls of the world .....
I know that every book has something in addition to another book.
I am interested in seagulls, but oh, what frustrating!!!!
I often think that the determination is good, but unfortunately no ...It remains a difficult puzzle. Thank you for sharing this nice revieuw.
Best regards, Maria
I have several good volumes, Maria, so come over here and we will study together!
DeleteMany thanks for showing us this book.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan