Monograph
By: Roger Riddington(Editor), Miranda Krestovnikoff(Foreword By)
336 pages, 250 colour photos, colour illustrations, and colour maps
Based on a series of articles in the journal British Birds, this book shows how the UK's 14 Overseas Territories are havens for birds and other wildlife.
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About this book
Contents
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About this book
Based on a series of articles in the journal British Birds, this book highlights the international importance of the UK's 14 Overseas Territories for birds and other wildlife.
Many of these places are small islands dispersed mostly across the Atlantic, Antarctic and Pacific Oceans, where they are home to a quarter of the world's penguins and a third of the word's breeding albatrosses, as well as 34 species that are globally threatened.
With a foreword by RSPB President, Miranda Krestovnikoff, Birds of the UK Overseas Territories will be a 'must have' for anyone interested in international conservation or wanting to visit some of these jewels in the UK's natural history crown.
Contents
Foreword 6
Acknowledgements 6
Introduction 7
The Importance of the UK Overseas Territories for Wildlife 8
1. Akrotiri Peninsula-Episkopi Cliffs IBA, Cyrpus 13
2. Anguilla 23
3. Ascension Island 42
4. Bermuda 63
5. British Antarctic Territory 82
6. British Indian Ocean Territory 108
7. British Virgin Islands 128
8. Cayman Islands 140
9. Falkland Islands 161
10. Gibraltar 186
11. Henderson Island 201
12. Montserrat 217
13. St Helena 234
14. South Georgia 249
15.Tristan da Cunha and Cough Island 277
16. Turks and Caicos Islands 296
References 314
Index 327
Customer Reviews (1)
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Our most important asset
By
Keith
30 Nov 2020
Written for Paperback
The UK has 14 Overseas Territories spread right across the world and they cover an area of almost 1.8 million sq km. We have heard of many of them but would be hard-pressed to find some on a map. For example, the remote islands of St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are halfway between Africa and South America. Both have Critically Endangered endemic birds that most British birders will never see, but our Government has a responsibility to protect them. Others such as Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus are easier to reach, as are the Falkland Islands if you raid your savings! In fact, 45 species of bird are globally threatened in the UK Overseas Territories and a further 44 species are Near Threatened.
This book is based on a series of papers published in the journal "British Birds" since 2008, so the material may be familiar to some. An additional segment on the British Virgin Islands completes the set so that all of the UK Overseas Territories are featured. Each chapter describes each territory with an explanation of the habitats and an outline of which birds are most important. Indeed some of the territories support populations of huge global importance. Some, such as St Helena, support one particular endemic, while others, such as the Falklands Islands and South Georgia, are home to several million seabirds.
A common theme throughout the book is the challenge of dealing with invading alien species. Many of the islands are home to ground-nesting birds, such as Gough Island – with its critically endangered Tristan Albatross. These birds are being ravaged by rats and it falls to our Government (working with the RSPB in some cases) to find ways to get rid of the imposters that were introduced by early settlers or passing sailors. Another common threat is climate change which is reducing ice cover and increasing sea levels.
The book is well-illustrated with maps and colour photographs, and the text has been brought together in the same style from many different authors to create a valuable reference. We should care about these places because they are ours – and this book should help to raise their profile.
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Monograph
By: Roger Riddington(Editor), Miranda Krestovnikoff(Foreword By)
336 pages, 250 colour photos, colour illustrations, and colour maps
Based on a series of articles in the journal British Birds, this book shows how the UK's 14 Overseas Territories are havens for birds and other wildlife.
"[...] Inevitably, with a diverse authorship, the variety inherent in the UKOTs themselves and the timespan of original production (2008–2019), some inconsistencies in detail (and update) are apparent. Overall, however, there is remarkable consistency and the book is the most definitive single source currently available, representing essential reading for amateurs and professionals alike.[...]"
– John Croxall, Ibis 163(2), April 2021
