hello tweeties,

i am so happy to tell you about a story i finished about a paper that my postdoc colleagues, Rob Moyle and Chris Filardi, are publishing this week in PNAS. It describes their research with the White-eyes .. the "great speciators" for whom that hypothesis was named .. their paper not only provides molecular support for the hypothesis, but also explains how a dispersive lineage like the Zosteropidae can simultaneously form new species while also dispersing over a significant portion of the globe;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/meet_the_great_speciator.php

when you read this, i would be very pleased if you would "vote it up" on the newsfeeds (click on those little buttons on the upper left side and click on the little envelope icon waaaaay down at the bottom on the lower right side) to increase this important story's prominence in the MSM.

the most recently demystified mystery bird was a lovely photo of a Cactus Wren, Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_130.php

today's mystery bird, courtesy of Joseph Kennedy, can be viewed here. Methinks that my readers might need a helping hand from some of you experts who can gently explain how to look at this bird;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_110.php

so many people are so pleased with the "Never Say Goodbye" photo series, that i am continuing it. here's today's installment, a touching portrait of the mexican spotted owl, thanks to the amazing joel sartore and national geographic;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/never_say_goodbye_mexican_spot.php

cheers,

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