Sibling Rivalry among Songbirds (Not Sponsored)

In songbirds, the morphology of the vocal tract predicts song performance, and song performance affects access to mates. This, in turn, raises the question as to what causes this vocal-tract morphological variation. Dr. Keith Sockman, an associate professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, will discuss the recent analyses from his laboratory’s 20-year dataset on wild, free-ranging Lincoln’s sparrows at our montane field site in Colorado, which have revealed developmental constraints on the vocal tract, driven in part by parental favoritism toward some nestlings over their sibling nestmates.

This program is an installment of Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. Carolina Science Cafes explore science topics making national and international headlines, offering our adult audiences the chance to meet the experts behind the work. Hosted on the first Tuesday of every month, Carolina Science Cafe takes place at **Haw River Tap & Table **in Carrboro with light appetizers available for all attendees.

Dr. Keith Sockman earned a PhD in Zoology in 2000 at Washington State University, studying reproductive flexibility in American kestrels. His postdoctoral work at The Johns Hopkins University focused on the neurobiology of mate choice and reproductive timing in songbirds. His initial appointment in the Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill was in 2004, at which point he started a long-term study on the behavioral ecology and reproductive decisions of wild songbirds. He enjoys cycling, camping, and spending time with his two teenagers.

This event is not sponsored by the Sierra Club.