Tag Archives: evolution

Science at work: How many kinds of Red Crossbills are there, anyway?

Red Crossbills range all over North America’s western mountains and northern forests, filling the air with their brief, metallic chips and attacking pine, fir, and hemlock cones with their unique bills. But there’s a growing realization that this species consists of a whole group of distinct types—some of them possibly even full species. Plumages don’t [...]

Live from the 2010 Ornithological Conference in San Diego

It’s time for another annual meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union. Just like last year in Philadelphia and 2009 in  Portland, we’ll be bringing you stories from the floor of the meeting, where hundreds of ornithologists have gathered for four days of intense science. First up is Living Bird editor Tim Gallagher to report on [...]