Of the approximately 10,000 species of birds in the world, 6000 of them belong to a single order, the Passeriformes, compared with two species of rhea (order Rheiformes) and just a single hoatzin (order Opisthocomiformes). Why this asymmetry?
Why do some sets of closely-related birds look and act essentially the same (say, Phylloscopus warblers) whereas others have vastly different morphologies (ovenbirds) and behaviours (manakins, birds of paradise)?
I am interested in what modern phylogenetic comparative methods and so-called "big data" can tell us about avian macroecology and macroevolution. Why do certain traits evolve where and when they do? Can speciation and extinction events be linked to certain types of traits? What factors drive the underlying trait structure of an avian community? My PhD thesis focused on the relative roles of social and ecological traits in shaping global avian biodiversity, addressing questions ranging from the evolution of female ornamentation to the role of dispersal in speciation; I am currently working on a project looking at the evolution of bird nests.
The best way to find out more about my recent work is via my publications on Google Scholar. If scientific papers aren't your thing, my research (in collaboration with Cassie Stoddard and a fantastic team of co-authors) on bird eggs was turned into an excellent infographic and was covered in a variety of popular publications, including The Atlantic and The New York Times.
Why do some sets of closely-related birds look and act essentially the same (say, Phylloscopus warblers) whereas others have vastly different morphologies (ovenbirds) and behaviours (manakins, birds of paradise)?
I am interested in what modern phylogenetic comparative methods and so-called "big data" can tell us about avian macroecology and macroevolution. Why do certain traits evolve where and when they do? Can speciation and extinction events be linked to certain types of traits? What factors drive the underlying trait structure of an avian community? My PhD thesis focused on the relative roles of social and ecological traits in shaping global avian biodiversity, addressing questions ranging from the evolution of female ornamentation to the role of dispersal in speciation; I am currently working on a project looking at the evolution of bird nests.
The best way to find out more about my recent work is via my publications on Google Scholar. If scientific papers aren't your thing, my research (in collaboration with Cassie Stoddard and a fantastic team of co-authors) on bird eggs was turned into an excellent infographic and was covered in a variety of popular publications, including The Atlantic and The New York Times.
