PELLSTON Jordan Price, a University of Michigan Biological Station faculty member, will present a lecture about bird nest evolution at 7:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, Aug. 1, at the Gates Lecture Hall at the biological station near Pellston.

Perching birds of the order Passeriformes, such as warblers, sparrows, thrushes and finches, are considered by birders and ornithology enthusiasts as master nest-builders. Their abilities as nest architects are thought to have played an important role in how they evolved and diversified (through evolutionary radiation).

This group of birds originated in Australia, and they were so successful from an evolutionary standpoint that more than half of all bird species in the world are passerines. Their nests are likely an important factor in that success.

When analyzing nest evolution, biologists often assume that nest architecture became more complex over time, progressing from simple cup-shaped nests to more elaborate domed structures with roofs. But which came first? Thats the question Price will explore in his talk, The Surprising Evolution of Bird Nests.

Hell describe the evolutionary history of passerine nests, focusing on early Australian lineages and species found here in Michigan. In the process, hell explain what nest-building behavior can tell us about the evolution of bird behavior, in general.

Price is the Steven Muller Distinguished Professor of the Sciences at St. Marys College of Maryland and is the chair of the biology department. His research integrates techniques from behavioral ecology and molecular phylogenetics to investigate the evolutionary histories of animal traits, especially the behaviors, sounds, and color patterns of birds. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and bachelors degree from Queens University in Canada.

Price is the University of Michigan Biological Stations Hann Endowed lecturer for 2017.

The University of Michigan Biological Station entrance is located at the intersection of Riggsville Road and East Burt Lake Road. Follow the signs to parking near the Gates Lecture Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Staff ask that no pets be brought to the biological station, as they need to protect ongoing scientific research projects.

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Bio station lecture to focus on bird nest evolution - Petoskey News-Review