The origin and timing of the diversification of modern birds remains controversial, primarily
because phylogenetic relationships are incompletely resolved and uncertainty persists in …

Birds are a taxonomically well-described group of animals, yet DNA barcoding, ie, the
molecular characterization of species using a standardized genetic marker, has revealed …

Neoaves is the most diverse major avian clade, containing~ 95% of avian species, and it
underwent an ancient but rapid diversification that has made resolution of relationships at …

Background Birds are one of the most highly successful and diverse groups of vertebrates,
having evolved a number of distinct characteristics, including feathers and wings, a sturdy …

Background DNA barcoding of life using a standardized COI sequence was proposed as a
species identification system, and as a method for detecting putative new species. Previous …

Speciation—the multiplication of species through the evolution of barriers to reproduction
between populations—plays a central role in evolution since it enables two or more …

Biological specimens in natural history collections constitute a massive repository of genetic
information. Many specimens have been collected in areas in which they no longer exist or …

Passeriformes are the largest order of birds and one of the most widely studied groups in
evolutionary biology and ecology. Until recently genomic tools in passerines relied on …

Background Reconstruction of ancestral karyotypes is critical for our understanding of
genome evolution, allowing for the identification of the gross changes that shaped extant …

The wood-warblers (family Parulidae) fall within a radiation of passerine birds commonly
known as the New World nine-primaried oscines. Defining familial relationships within that …