Dr. Kevin Bennett and the Colorful Legacy of Hybridization in Wood-Warblers

The New World warblers (family Parulidae) dazzle birdwatchers with their cheerful songs and, especially, their bright and distinctive plumage colors. Using whole-genome sequencing of hundreds of individuals and nearly every species in the family, Dr. Bennett and his co-authors found that many warblers owe their colorful plumage to ancient hybridization between species and, in some cases, between genera. These results hint at a story, hidden just below the surface, of hybridization shaping even our most familiar and beloved birds.

This program is free and open to the public.