Green-and-gold Tanager (Tangara schrankii)
|
Allison Shultz - Allison is in her first year of the graduate program and received her B.S. from the University of California at Berkeley. She is an integrative evolutionary biologist and is particularly interested in bird coloration. Her thesis involves identifying the biochemical basis and structural mechanisms responsible for bird coloration. She is currently focusing on tanagers, a group displaying the full range of plumage patterns and colors. She plans to integrate her findings on color production with a molecular phylogeny for the group to better understand how coloration evolves. |
|
Former Graduate Students:
 Masked Flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea) |
Bill Mauck - Bill studied the molecular systematics of flowerpiercers (Diglossa and Diglossopis). These tanagers have an unusual method of obtaining nectar. In most species, a hook on the end of the upper mandible is used to hold the corolla of a flower while the bird pierces the flower with its lower bill. Because they may obtain nectar without pollinating the flower, they are often called nectar thieves. Bill used molecular data to reconstruct the phylogeny of these species and then mapped the evolution of bill shape onto this phylogeny. |
 |
 |
Raul Sedano - Raul studied the evolutionary relationships of a large clade of tanagers and tanager-finches that include the mountain tanagers (Buthraupis, Bangsia, Anisognathus) . Raul reconstructed a phylogeny for this group that contains 18 genera and nearly 100 species. These species are found in most of the geographic regions of South America. Thus, with his phylogeny, Raul was able to investigate the biogeographic history of the entrie continent. Raul finished his thesis in 2007 and is currently working on a PhD at UCLA. |
Moss-backed Tanager (Bangsia edwardsi)
|
 |
Tiffany Shepherd - Tiffany studied the population genetics of the Summer Tanager. The Summer Tanager is a species of special concern in California and has recently colonized new areas in the state. She studied levels of gene flow among these populations and others in the Southwest. In addition, she compared genetic and morphological differences between the eastern and western subspecies of the Summer Tanager. She finished her thesis in 2004 and her results were published in The Journal of Avian Biology: Shepherd, T. M. and K. J. Burns. 2007.
Intraspecific genetic analysis of the Summer Tanager (Piranga
rubra): Implications for species limits and conservation. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 12-27. |
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) |
 Matt's article and photo were featured on the cover of The Condor |
Matt Alexander - Matt
studied the phylogeography of the White-headed Woodpecker. The
White-headed Woodpecker inhabits high elevation areas in California,
Oregon, and
Washington and shows morphological differences between individuals in
the
northern and southern parts of the range. Matt finsihed his
thesis
in 2005 and published his results in two papers: Alexander, M. P. and K. J. Burns. 2006. Intraspecific phylogeography and adaptive divergence in the White-headed Woodpecker. The Condor 108: 489-518. Burns, K. J., M. P. Alexander, D. N. Barhoum, and E. A. Sgariglia. 2007. A statistical assessment of congruence among phylogeographic histories of three avian species in the California Floristic Province. Pages 96-109 in Festschrift for Ned K. Johnson: Geographic Variation and Evolution in Birds (C. Cicero and J. V. Remsen, Jr., Eds.). Ornithological Monographs, no. 63. |
 |
|
Erik Sgariglia - Erik worked on the
California Thrasher, a chaparral/scrub species found throughout
California. He finished his thesis in 2001 and published his
results in two papers:
Sgariglia, E. A. and Burns, K. J. 2003. Phylogeography of the California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) based on nested-clade analysis of mitochondrial-DNA variation. The Auk 120: 346-361. Burns, K. J., M. P. Alexander, D. N. Barhoum, and E. A. Sgariglia. 2007. A statistical assessment of congruence among phylogeographic histories of three avian species in the California Floristic Province. Pages 96-109 in Festschrift for Ned K. Johnson: Geographic Variation and Evolution in Birds (C. Cicero and J. V. Remsen, Jr., Eds.). Ornithological Monographs, no. 63. |
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum)
|
|
Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)
|
Dino Barhoum - Dino worked on the
Wrentit, an unusual bird found in chaparral habitat of California and
Oregon. He studied the phylogeography of the species as well as
the evolutionary relationships of the Wrentit to other species.
He finished his thesis in 2001 and published his results in three
papers: Burns, K. J. and D. N. Barhoum. 2006. Population-level history of the wrentit (Chamaea fasciata): Implications for comparative phylogeography in the California Floristic Province. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38: 117-129. Barhoum, D. N. and K. J. Burns. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of the Wrentit based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. The Condor 104: 740-749. Burns, K. J., M. P. Alexander, D. N. Barhoum, and E. A. Sgariglia. 2007. A statistical assessment of congruence among phylogeographic histories of three avian species in the California Floristic Province. Pages 96-109 in Festschrift for Ned K. Johnson: Geographic Variation and Evolution in Birds (C. Cicero and J. V. Remsen, Jr., Eds.). Ornithological Monographs, no. 63. |
 |
 |
Bryan Sharp - Bryan was co-advised by
Burns and by Dr. Barbara Kus of the USGS. He studied brood
parasitism of the Least Bell's Vireo by the Brown-headed Cowbird.
Bryan finished his thesis in 2001 and his thesis research appeared in
three publications: Sharp, B. L. and B. E. Kus. 2006. Factors influencing the incidence of cowbird parasitism of Least Bell's Vireos. Journal of Wildlife Management 70: 682-690. Sharp, B. L., B. L. Peterson, and B. E. Kus. 2005. Puncture ejection of own egg by Least Bell's Vireo and potential implications for anti-parasitism defense. Western Birds 36:64-66. Sharp, B. L. and B. E. Kus. 2004. Sunrise nest attendance and aggression by Least Bell's Vireos fail to deter cowbird parasitism. Wilson Bulletin 116: 17-22. |
Least Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) |