Penguins: A Visual Study of All 17 Species?Natural Behavior, Colonies, and Life on Land and Sea [Hardcover] Ostling, Brutus and Akesson, Susanne

What is it about penguins that makes them so lovable? Perhaps we identify with their almost-human gait on land, or their ability to survive in the harshest of climates, or their extremely social nature.

Penguins is the rare book that combines a fabulous visual study of these creatures with up-to-date information on all seventeen species, from the largest (Emperor Penguin) to the tiniest (the aptly named Little Penguin). Through the text and pictures, the reader will learn all about life in their colonies, and how they live on land and sea, raise and feed their chicks, and manage their long, annual migrations.

Brutus Östling's amazing photography completely captures the nature of these creatures. Looking at the images makes one feel as if the birds were posing for the camera; Östling has a knack for capturing them in the most natural of settings, going about their daily activities, at work or at play.

Brutus Östling is a freelance photographer and publisher. A member of PhotoNatura, he has contributed photo features around the world. His unique sense of composition, light, and the bird's personality make him a unique bird photographer, and he has been awarded "Nature Photographer of the Year" in his native Sweden. This is Brutus's second book for Collins, following Between the Wingtips (2006).

Susanne Åkesson, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, in Sweden. She teaches evolutionary animal ecology and ornithology and does research in animal migration and navigation. She also does popular science programs for Swedish radio and writes for various journals and magazines.