The petrels, or tubenosed birds, include the shearwaters, the albatrosses, and the storm, diving and gadfly petrels. As a group, they enjoy worldwide distribution and often form an important component of their marine communities. The long-distance migrations and colonial breeding habits of many of the species pose fascinating questions in biology, and much can be learned from comparative work on species from different parts of the world. In this book, John Warham, an expert with a lifetime association with the group, sets out the basics of petrel biology, drawing both on his own extensive researches and the wealth of published literature. The opening chapters summarize the biology of each family before going on to look in detail at comparative aspects of their breeding ecology. A companion volume, in preparation, will look in more detail at subjects, such as behavior, physiology, population biology, and food. This well-illustrated general introduction to the petrels forms an accessible and invaluable reference to both the scientific and lay ornithologist.