Birds constitute the best-known major taxonomic group, and as such present special opportunities for research into the evolution of biological diversity. The Ornithology group in the Biodiversity Institute takes a very broad approach to understanding bird diversity: we combine studies of phylogeny and phylogeography with avifaunal survey and inventory and basic descriptions of bird diversity. Indeed, our research interests go still farther, to include pathogens (viruses, blood parasites, etc.) associated with birds, studies of species’ geographic and ecological distributions, and conservation biology related to bird diversity.

 

Curator Robert Moyle specializes in phylogeny and phylogeography of the birds of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific; Curator Town Peterson has worked in the Neotropics, as well as in various parts of Asia; and Collections Manager Mark Robbins is most at home in the Neotropics, but has worked broadly around the world. These geographic interests have led the Ornithology group to carry out 55+ expeditions to 24 countries, with one of the most active global bird sampling programs of any institution worldwide. The result is a systematic collection of birds that includes modern, data-rich, and highly research-useful specimens: the third largest avian osteological collection in the world, and the second most diverse avian tissue collection in the world. The research group includes the three permanent staff, postdoctoral associates, several long-term affiliates, and numerous graduate students.