Urbanization drives adaptive evolution in a Neotropical bird Rilquer Mascarenhas, Pedro Milet Meirelles, Henrique Batalha-Filho Abstract Urbanization has dramatic impacts on natural habitats and such changes may potentially drive local adaptation of urban populations. Behavioral change has been specifically shown to facilitate fast adaptation of birds to changing environments, but few studies have investigated the genetic mechanisms... Continue Reading →
Urban Wildlife Spotlight: The Monk Parakeet
Monk parakeets Myiopsitta monachus Sometimes referred to as the Quaker parrot due to their quaking vocalizations, the monk parakeet is a small, green parrot with grey breast and head feathers accented with blue feathers on their primaries. In addition to their unique color, these birds can often be picked out by their noisy/screechy vocalizations.... Continue Reading →
Genomic Analysis Highlights Cognition in Urban Burrowing Owls
What makes a bird successful in the city? Jakob Mueller and colleagues first attempted to answer this question in blackbirds, finding genomic signatures of selection in the SERT gene associated with harm avoidance. Now, building on only a handful of studies to explore the genomic basis of urban adaptive responses, Mueller and colleagues tackle this... Continue Reading →