Background Birds of prey (raptors) are dominant apex predators in terrestrial communities,
with hawks (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) hunting by day and owls …

As the only birds with a nocturnal, predatory lifestyle, owls occupy a unique niche in the
avian realm. Hunting prey in the dark comes with a number of challenges. Owls have …

Owls (Strigiformes) evolved specific adaptations to their nocturnal predatory lifestyle, such
as asymmetrical ears, a facial disk, and a feather structure allowing silent flight. Owls also …

As top predators, falcons possess unique morphological, physiological and behavioral
adaptations that allow them to be successful hunters: for example, the peregrine is …

Understanding the targets of selection associated with changes in behavioral traits
represents an important challenge of current evolutionary research. Owls (Strigiformes) are …

The recent availability of multiple avian genomes has laid the foundation for a huge variety
of comparative genomics analyses including scans for changes and signatures of selection …

Owls (Strigiformes) represent a fascinating group of birds that are the ecological night-time
counterparts to diurnal raptors (Accipitriformes). The nocturnality of owls, unusual within …

Deep avian evolutionary relationships have been difficult to resolve as a result of a putative
explosive radiation. Our study examined∼ 32 kilobases of aligned nuclear DNA sequences …

Background Kiwi, comprising five species from the genus Apteryx, are endangered, ground-
dwelling bird species endemic to New Zealand. They are the smallest and only nocturnal …

New genomic tools open doors to study ecology, evolution, and population genomics of wild
animals. For the Barn owl species complex, a cosmopolitan nocturnal raptor, a very …