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The books are listed in order of publication date with the most recent at the top.

The Seabirds Page

Gannets

In the UK

Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus

Worldwide

Cape Gannet
Morus capensis

Australasian Gannet
Morus serrator

Boobies

Family: Sulidae
Genus: Sula

Masked Booby
Sula dactylatra

Nazca Booby
Sula granti

Brown Booby
Sula leucogaster

Blue-footed Booby
Sula nebouxii

Red-footed Booby
Sula sula

Peruvian Booby
Sula variegata

Family: Sulidae
Genus: Papasula

Abbott's Booby
Papasula abbotti

Migratory Tactics and Wintering Areas of Northern Gannets Breeding in North America

David A. Fifield, William A. Montevecchi, Stefan Garthe, Gregory J. Robertson, Ulrike Kubetzki, and Jean-Francois Rail

American Ornithologists' Union

2014

From the abstract: " Migration has evolved to allow organisms to undertake life-history functions in the most appropriate place at the most appropriate time. Migration creates seasonal ecological linkages that have important implications for survival, population dynamics, response to climate change, and conservation. Although advances in bird-borne tracking technology have promoted knowledge of avian migratory ecology, major information gaps remain for most avian species, including seabirds. Ours is the first study to electronically track the migration and wintering of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus; hereafter "gannets") from almost all of their North American breeding range, in multiple years and with multiple tracks from individual birds."

On The Rocks

Bryan Nelson

Langford Press

2013

"Seabirds and islands, an addictive mix, have dominated my life. Ailsa Craig and its gannets started the rot more than 60 years ago leading via a tortuous route to the Bass Rock, Christmas Island, Cape Kidnappers and other remote seabird haunts. This journey was eased by a St Andrews University degree in Zoology and Oxford D Phil under Niko Tinbergen and Mike Cullen which helped my appointment as Lecturer, later Reader, in Zoology at Aberdeen University. I have been very lucky thanks to gannets. I should mention, also, the Scottish Seabird Centre with which I have been involved as a Director since its inception." Bryan Nelson

Reproduction and Immune Homeostasis in a Long-lived Seabird, the Nazca Booby (Sula Granti)

Victor Apanius, Mark Westbrock, David Anderson

American Ornithologists' Union

2008

Pelicans, Cormorants, and their Relatives: Pelecanidae, Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Fregatidae, Phaethontidae

J. Bryan Nelson

Black-and-white drawings - John Busby

Oxford University Press

2006

680 pages, 12 colour plates, 159 halftones, 62 maps

"This volume comprises 5 general chapters on the biology, feeding ecology, breeding behaviour, evolutionary relationships, and conservation of the birds in the families covered; 12 specially commissioned colour plates showing adults of all species and many juveniles, immatures and subspecies; 159 black-and-white drawings illustrating special features and behaviour; descriptions of each individual species. The pelecaniformes are a large and important group of seabirds, containing many spectacular species. This book addresses the breeding biology of the six pelecaniform families, which comprise the closely-related core groups (pelicans, cormorants/shags, darters, gannets/boobies) and their more distant relatives, the frigate birds and tropic birds. Many fundamental questions can be addressed through the pelecaniformes: Why do they breed in colonies? What are the links between their feeding methods and their reproduction? What part does territorial and pairing behaviour play in their life-cycles? These and scores of comparable issues, including those related to man, are woven here into a richly interpretative text. The author's approach to the subject is threefold. First, the pelecaniformes are placed within the framework of four discrete disciplines, with chapters on evolutionary relationships, comparative behaviour, ecology, and the birds' relationship with humans. Secondly, each of the six families is discussed, elucidating the range of taxonomy, behaviour, and ecology within each. Finally, we progress to specific level, using the same structure as for the family accounts. In this way, each of the 60-odd species can be understood not just as discrete units, but as part of their family and order. The book is unique in its coverage of the entire order and in its combination of facts and interpretation."

Management Plan to Conserve the Brown Booby Colony and its Habitat on Cayman Brac 2002-06

Bryan Nelson

2006

The Atlantic Gannet

Bryan Nelson

2nd edition

2002

"Long awaited new edition of Bryan Nelson's The Gannet (Poyser, 1978). Fully revised and updated, the new edition incorporates new material about changes in British and world populations, recent work on foraging behaviour involving satellite observations, migratory behaviour and breeding biology. Contents: Plumage, Shape, Structure and Voice; Numbers and Distribution; Behaviour; Ecology; The Bird at Sea; The Gannet Family and Order; the Gannet and Man."

The Gannet

Bryan Nelson

Hamlyn

1995

Counts of the Noss Gannetry in 1991-2, and Analysis of Data from Gannet Monitoring Plots on Noss 1975-91

S. Murray and S. Wanless

1992

The Gannet

Bryan Nelson

1989

"This book describes its life of the Gannet from hatching until death and the obstacles faced during the transition from naked squab to successful breeding adult."

Living With Seabirds

Bryan Nelson

1987

An account of the social life of seabirds and of Nelson's experiences studying gannets and their relatives the boobies.

A Survey of the Numbers and Breeding Distribution of the North Atlantic Gannet (Sula bassana) and an assessment of the changes which have occurred since Operation Seafarer 1969/70

S. Wanless

1987

The Gannet

Bryan Nelson

Poyser

1978

Reprinted in 2010

"The author is internationally known for his work on the North Atlantic gannet and the boobies. His studies of the gannetry on the Bass Rock over many years have formed the basis for most of our knowledge of the gannet's ecology, its breeding cycle and behaviour. The present work is a distillation of the studies and researches on Sula bassana in Europe and North America, with frequent reference to the African and Australasian gannets. There is also a chapter on the boobies, all of which have been studied at first hand by the author. Chapter topics are plumage, shape, structure and voice; numbers and distribution; behaviour; ecology; the bird at sea; the gannet family and the order; the gannet and man. There are many tables, maps and a full bibliography. The authoritative text is complemented by John Busby's brilliant and evocative drawings, plus 32 pages of photographs, many unpublished hitherto."

The Sulidae: Gannets and Boobies

J. Bryan Nelson

1978

1012 pages documenting the distribution, ecology, behavoir, taxonomy, etc of the gannets and boobies.

Breeding Biology of the Blue-Faced Booby Sula Dactylatra Personata on Green Island, Kure Atoll

Cameron B. Kepler

1969

Shetland Sanctuary: Birds On The Isle Of Noss

Richard Perry

1948

A study of the bird life on the Shetland Isle of Noss, including great skuas, arctic skuas, gannets and guillemots.

The Gannet: A Bird With A History

J.H. Gurney

Witherby & Co

1913

From the historical preface:

"The contribution which is now offered to zoological knowledge is neither a large nor an important one; moreover it is only about a single species - albeit a most remarkable bird - the Gannet, or Solan Goose (Siila hassana (Linn.)). It does not even pretend to be the final word about that species, concerning which there is more to be learned without doubt than we have discovered at present. The Gannet is a bird for which I have had a partiality ever since I was a boy, or rather since my first visit to Ailsa Craig - which was with a friend no longer hving, forty-six years ago - and that to the famous Bass Rock, which was in 1876. Needless to say, I am far from being myself to be the only person who has experienced this feeling, for so notable a bird cannot fail to have impressed many other ornithologists who have watched its stately flight. My interest in it which, as I said, began early was greatly augmented by reading two historical essays - one of them by Professor Fleming, referred to on p. 169 of the present work, and one by Professor Cunningham ("Ibis," 1866, p. 1), both of which are of great merit."

Catalogue Of The Plataleae, Herodiones, Steganopodes, Pygopodes, Alcae and Impennes In The Collection Of The British Museum

Plataleae and Herodiones: R. Bowdler Sharpe

Steganopodes, Pygopodes, Alcae, Impennes: W.R. Ogilvie-Grant

Printed By Order Of The Trustees

Sold by: Longman & Co.; B. Quaritch; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.; and at the British Museum (Natural History)

1898

From the preface:

"The present volume, though not numerically the last, has been, owing to various delays in its production, the last to appear. Its publication completes the series, as originally projected by Dr. Gunther more than twenty-five years ago. The whole work consists of twenty-seven volumes, and it may fairly claim to be one of the most important aids to the study of Systematic Ornithology which has ever been produced. The first volume appeared in June 1874. The others have followed at intervals averaging rather less than a year. The publication of the work has therefore been very nearly coincident with Dr. Gunther's administration of the Zoological Department of the Museum. It is to him that the general arrangement and supervision of the work is due, although each contributor has been allowed a considerable latitude in following his own views as to the details of classification and nomenclature."