Using information gleaned from prehistoric specimens Steadman reconstructs thebirdlife of tropical Pacific islands as it existed before the arrival of humansand... » 

Using information gleaned from prehistoric specimens Steadman reconstructs thebirdlife of tropical Pacific islands as it existed before the arrival of humansand in so doing corrects the assumption that small remote islands were unableto support rich assemblages of plants and animals. Easter Island for examplethough devoid of wildlife today was the worlds richest seabird habitat beforePolynesians arrived more than a millennium ago. Grounded in geologypaleontology and archeology but biological at its core Extinction andBiogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds is an exceptional work of unparalleledscholarship that will stimulate creative discussions of terrestrial life onoceanic islands for years to come. «