Why Taxonomy Matters

Who cares about all these esoteric Latinized words, anyway?

Live Fast and Specialize, Live Slow and Generalize

Pace of life…specialization…climate change…how do…

Natural History Museums: A Message of Optimism

The plight of museum collections, taxonomy, and natural history, and some voices that cut through the noise

Why do only some species look different?

A jaunt into a fascinating evolutionary inquiry

The Rewards of Museum Work

Why would anyone want to work around thousands of dead things?

Nature on Repeat

The universe is telling us something remarkable whenever it repeats itself.

Where Do Birds Go During Blizzards?

(Originally published March 5th, 2013 on http://scienceofbirds.blogspot.com)

As plumes of snow stream down from the heavens and bury me indoors, I wonder again about the lives of avifauna around me. Why are forests so lifeless, so silent…

The Language of Birds’ Feathers

All birds’ feathers tell a unique story. Sometimes, these stories lead…

Barrier Valleys, Trait Divergence, & the Split of Species

What one exemplary valley tells us about the drivers of avian speciation

Why is this bird rare?

In answering this question, where you look is critical.