We conduct a broad-based research program on the evolution and ecology of vertebrates. Most subsets of this research focus on birds, but we also have ongoing projects on fish, lizards, and whales. This research comprised both my own projects as PI of my lab group and projects initiated by graduate students working in my lab. The general questions we address include: What are the evolutionary relationships among species? Within species, what are the patterns of dispersal and gene flow among populations? Within populations, what are the patterns of geneological relationships that influence behavior and social systems? What factors influence the spread of avian diseases, both those that are directly transmitted between individuals and those that are spread via insect vectors?

At its most fundamental level, our research addresses patterns of biodiversity and how they have changed in space and time. This information is critical both to testing scientific hypotheses about biological diversity and for the effective management of biological resources. Our results are therefore of interest to a large body of professionals. Because we work on well-known groups of birds, our studies also receive substantial attention from the general public, and we use this to help teach the public about the scientific process in general. Finally, we serve an important training and teaching function, by advising and training a large cadre of undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and visiting students.

The best measure of our progress is probably our output of scientific and popular press publications. In 2006 my lab group published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers.

Our research continues to be featured in many public fora and contributes to the base of knowledge that underlies our effective management of biological resources.

Ornithology programmatic funds; Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program endowment.