hello tweeties,

have you ever wondered what contributions that natural history museum collections (old and dusty as they might be) can make to modern DNA research? i wrote a story about this very topic and published it today for you to read and ponder;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/04/dead_birds_do_tell_tales.php

the most recently demystified mystery bird was a gorgeous breeding-plumaged Sora, Porzana carolina, thanks to Joseph Kennedy;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/04/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_196.php

Rick Wright, our favorite online bird guide, wrote an analysis for this bird (although the image is so amazing, that most people would have identified it correctly anyway).

today's mystery bird is a little bit different from what you might expect, but i think you'll have fun with it anyway;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/04/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_220.php

cheers,

GrrlScientist
Devorah
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/
http://twitter.com/GrrlScientist
Roosting high up a tree somewhere in Central Park, NYC