Journal covers highlighting Burns lab research
* denotes SDSU student co-author
If you would like a pdf of any of these publications and can’t find it online, just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu
To see a list of representative publications, click here.
Full publication list, in reverse chronological order:
Submitted:
Tofflemire, M. A.*, Benham, P. M., Cicero, C., Davila, M., Smith, L., Enbody, E. D., Barhoum, D. N.*, Nachman, M. W., Bowie, R. C. K., Burns, K. J. Genomic insights into the origins of diversity in a California endemic songbird (Chamaea fasciata). Molecular Ecology. (Submitted).
Hiller, A., Burns, K. J., Graves, G., Brumfield, R., Faircloth, B. Addressing artifacts from historical DNA refines phylogenetic relationships in Diglossa flowerpiercers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. (Submitted).
Gyllenhaal, E., Johnson, A., Klicka, L.*, Bauernfeind, S., Baumann, M., Brady, M., Burns, K. J., Witt, C., Anderson, M. Asymmetric gene flow across a desert contact zone in a riparian songbird. Evolution. (Submitted).
Martinet, K. M., Juhn, M. S., Boucher, F. C., Harmon, L. J., Revell, L. J., Foerster, S. I. A., Shultz, A. J.*, Burns, K. J., Alfaro, M. E. A wrapped Brownian motion model for traits on a circular scale. Systematic Biology. (Submitted).
Eliason, C. M., McCullough, J. M., Marcondes, R. S., Eaton, M. D., Maia, R., Burns, K. J., Shultz, A. J.* Modularity, constraint, and innovation in color evolution across five avian radiations. Evolution Letters. (Submitted).
Published:
82. Chesser, R. T., Billerman, S. M., Burns, K. J., Cicero, C., Dunn, J. L., Hernandez-Baños, B. E., Johnson, O., Mason, N. A., Rasmussen, P. C. 2026. Sixty-seventh Supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology.
81. Tofflemire, M. A.*, Burns, K. J., Sukumaran, J. 2026. The effects of post-divergence gene flow on simultaneous divergence time testing. Molecular Ecology Resources, 26: e70185. Access article here
80. Benham, P. M., C. Cicero, K. J. Burns, M. Escalona, E. Beraut, C. W. Fairbairn, W. E. Seligmann, M. P. A. Marimuthu, O. Nguyen, N. Chumchim, E. Toffelmier, M. W. Nachman, and R. C. K. Bowie. 2025. A highly contiguous genome assembly for the wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), the sole representative of the babbler radiation in the Americas. Journal of Heredity, esaf063. Access article here
79. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Herández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, O. Johnson, N. A. Mason, and P. C. Rasmussen. 2025. Sixty-sixth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 142 (3), ukaf015. Selected as Editor’s Choice. Access article here
78. Tofflemire, Michael A.*, K. L. Epperly, K. J. Burns, and J. Klicka. 2024. Integrative phylogeography and ecological niche analysis reveal insight into the evolutionary history and taxonomy of the Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens). The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 136: 143-165. Winner of the 2025 Edwards Prize. Access article here
77. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Herández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, O. Johnson, A. W. Kratter, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, and J. V. Remsen Jr. 2024. Sixty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 141 (3), ukae019. Selected as Editor’s Choice. pdf or Access article here
76. Vinciguerra, N. T.*, J. M. McCullough, and K. J. Burns. 2024. Punctuated evolution of bill morphology in the largest family of songbirds (Thraupidae). Ornithology, ukae001. Selected as Editor’s Choice. pdf
75. Scott, B. F.*, R. T. Chesser, P. Unitt, and K. J. Burns, K. J. 2024. Driophlox, a new genus of cardinalid (Aves: Passeriformes: Cardinalidae). Zootaxa, 5406 (3): 497–500. Access article here
74. Scott, B. F,* A. J. Shultz, and K. J. Burns. 2024. The impact of habitat and migration on plumage colour in Cardinalidae. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 141 (2): 264-277. Access article here
73. Nachman, Michael W., (+ 118 others, including K. J. Burns). 2023. Specimen collection is essential for modern science. PLOS Biology 21(11): e3002318. pdf
72. Myers, B. M.*, K. J. Burns, C. J. Clark, and A. Brelsford. 2023. Sampling affects population genetic inference: A case study of the Allen’s (Selasphorus sasis) and Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). Journal of Heredity 114 (6): 625-636. Access article here.
71. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Herández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, A. W. Kratter, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., and K. Winker. 2023. Sixty-fourth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 140 (3), ukad023. pdf or Access article here
70. Demery, A-J* and K. J. Burns. 2023. Widespread convergent morphological evolution within the largest family of songbirds. Evolution 77 (3) 812-822 Access article here
69. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Herández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2022. Sixty-third supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 139, ukac020. pdf some highlights
68. Myers, B. M.*, D. T. Rankin, K. J. Burns, A. Brelsford, and C. J. Clark. 2022. k-mer analysis shows hybrid hummingbirds perform variable, transgressive courtship sequences. Animal Behaviour 186:67-84. Access article here
67. Lane, D. F., M. A. Justiniano, R. S. Terrill, F. E. Rheindt, L. B. Klicka*, G. H. Rosenberg, C. J. Schmitt, and K. J. Burns. 2021. A new genus and species of tanager (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) from the Yungas of western Bolivia and Peru. Ornithology 138, uka059. pdf
66. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Herández-Baños, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2021. Sixty-second supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 138: 1-18. pdf
65. Vinciguerra, N. T.* and K. J. Burns. 2021. Species diversification and ecomorphological evolution in the radiation of tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 133 (3): 920–930. Access article here
64. Demery, A.-J. C.*, K. J. Burns, K. J., and N. A. Mason. 2021. Bill size, bill shape, and body size constrain bird song evolution on a macroevolutionary scale. Ornithology 138 (2) ukab11. pdf Received the Florence Merriam Bailey Award for most outstanding article published within the preceding two calendar years by an early career member in an AOS journal. Also, here’s an article from Cornell about this study.
63. Myers, B. M.*, K. J. Burns, C. J. Clark, and A. Brelsford. 2021. The population genetics of non-migratory Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin sedentarius) following a recent mainland colonization. Ecology and Evolution 11 (4): 1850-1865. pdf
62. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2021. Addendum to the sixty-first supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 138 (1) ukaa074. pdf
61. Price-Waldman, R. M.*, Shultz, A. J., and K. J. Burns. 2020. Speciation rates are correlated with changes in plumage color complexity in the largest family of songbirds. Evolution. 74 (6), 1155-1169. for pdf, go to the journal’s website
60. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2020. Sixty-first supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 137: 1-24. pdf
59. Myers, B. M.*, D. T. Rankin, K. J. Burns, and C. J. Clark. 2019. Behavioral and morphological evidence of an Allen’s × Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin × S. rufus) hybrid zone in southern Oregon and northern California. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 136 (4) ukz049. for pdf, go to the journal’s website
58. Burns, K. J. 2019. Book Review of The Ascent of Birds: How Modern Science is Revealing Their Secrets. The Auk: Ornithological Advances. for pdf, go to the journal’s website
57. Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2019. Sixtieth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 136 (3) ukz042. pdf
56. Campillo, L. C., K. J. Burns, R. G. Moyle, and J. D. Manthey. 2019. Mitochondrial genomes of the bird genus Piranga: rates of sequence evolution, and discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Mitochondrial DNA Part B 4: 2566-2569. pdf
55. Funk, E. R.* and K. J. Burns. 2019. Evolutionary distinctiveness and conservation priorities in a large radiation of New World birds (Emberizoidea). Animal Conservation 22 (3): 274-284. For pdf, go to the journal’s website or send an email to request to kburns@sdsu.edu
54. Piacentini, V., P. Unitt, and K. J. Burns. 2019. Two overlooked generic synonyms in the Thraupidae (Aves: Passeriformes).” Zootaxa 4608 (3): 593-594. For pdf, go to the journal’s website or send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu
53. Funk, E. R.* and K. J. Burns. 2018. Biogeographic origins of Darwin’s finches (Thraupidae: Coerebinae). The Auk: Ornithological Advances 135: 561-571. pdf Here’s a short article describing this research.
52. Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., D. F. Stotz, B. M. Winger, and K. Winker. 2018. Fifty-ninth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances, 135: 798-813. pdf
51. Drury, J. P., J. A. Tobias, K. J. Burns, N. A. Mason*, A. J. Shultz*, and H. Morlon. 2018. Contrasting impacts of competition on ecological and social trait evolution in songbirds. PLOS Biology 2003563. pdf
50. Burns, K. J., McGraw, K., Shultz, A*, Stoddard, M., and Thomas, D. 2018. Advanced methods for studying pigments and coloration using avian specimens. Emerging Frontiers in Collections-based Ornithological Research: The Extended Specimen. Studies in Avian Biology 50: 23-55. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
49. Mason, N.*, Pasch, B., Burns, K. J., Derryberry, E. 2018. Integrating museum and media collections to study vocal ecology and evolution. Emerging Frontiers in Collections-based Ornithological Research: The Extended Specimen. Studies in Avian Biology 50: 57-74. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
48. Dickerson, E. C. and K. J. Burns. 2018. The name Tangara cyanocephala as used by Storer (1970: 324) and many other authors. Pp. 259-260 in “A study of d’Orbigny’s “Voyage dans l’Amerique Meridionale” by E. C. Dickinson and A. Lebossé. Zoological Bibliography 2018 5(4): 49-274.
47. Richart, C. H.* and K. J. Burns. 2017. Birding San Diego State University. PostScript SDSU Retired Faculty/Staff News 32: 10. pdf
46. Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2017. Fifty-eighth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union: Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances, 132: 748-764. pdf
45. Shultz, A. J.* and K. J. Burns. 2017. The role of sexual and natural selection in shaping patterns of sexual dichromatism in the largest family of songbirds (Aves: Thraupidae). Evolution 71: 1061-1074. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
44. Mason, N. A.*, K. J. Burns, J. A. Tobias, S. Claramunt, N. Seddon, and E. P. Derryberry. 2017. Song evolution, speciation, and vocal learning in passerine birds. Evolution 71: 786-796. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
43. Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2016. Fifty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union: Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances, 132: 748-764. pdf
42. Manthey, J. D., L. C. Campillo, K. J. Burns, and R. G. Moyle. 2016. Comparison of target-capture and restriction-site associated DNA Sequencing for phylogenomics: a test in cardinalid tanagers (Aves, Genus: Piranga). Systematic Biology 65: 640-660. pdf
41. Burns, K. J., P. Unitt, N. A. Mason*. 2016. A genus-level classification of the family Thraupidae (Class Aves: Order Passeriformes). Zootaxa 4088: 329-354. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@mail.sdsu.edu
40. Klicka, L. B.*, B. E. Kus, P. O. Title*, and K. J. Burns. 2016. Conservation genomics reveals multiple evolutionary units within Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii). Conservation Genetics 17: 455-471. pdf
39. Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, A. G. Navarro-Sigüenza, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2015. Fifty-sixth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union: Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk: Ornithological Advances, 132: 748-764. pdf
38. Title, P. O.* and K. J. Burns. 2015. Rates of climatic niche evolution are correlated with species richness in a large and ecologically diverse radiation of songbirds. Ecology Letters 18:433-440. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
37. Barker, F. K., K. J. Burns, J. Klicka, S. M. Lanyon, and I. J. Lovette. 2015. New insights into New World biogeography: An integrated view from the phylogeny of blackbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tanagers, warblers, and allies. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 132: 333-348. This paper won the Brina Kessel Award in 2018. pdf
36. Mason, N.A.* and K. J. Burns. 2015. The effect of habitat and body size on the evolution of vocal displays in Thraupidae (tanagers), the largest family of songbirds. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 114: 538–551. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
35. Mason, N. A.*, Shultz, A. J.*, and K. J. Burns. 2014. Elaborate visual and acoustic signals evolve independently in a large, phenotypically diverse radiation of songbirds. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences 281 1788 20140967. pdf some links to articles about this study can be found here
34. Klicka, J., F. K. Barker, K. J. Burns, S. M. Lanyon, I. J. Lovette, J. A. Chaves,
R. W. Bryson. 2014. A comprehensive multilocus assessment of sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) relationships. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 77: 177-182. For pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an email request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
33. Fritz, J. A., J. Brancale, M. Tokita, K. J. Burns, M. B. Hawkins, A. Abzhanov, and M. P. Brenner. 2014. Shared developmental program strongly constrains beak shape diversity in songbirds. Nature Communications, 5, 3700. pdf
32. Burns, K. J., A. J. Shultz*, P. O. Title*, N. A. Mason*, F. K. Barker, J. Klicka, S. M. Lanyon, and I. J. Lovette. 2014. Phylogenetics and diversification of tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), the largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 75: 41-77. For a pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an e-mail request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
31. Mason, N. A.*, P. O. Title*, C. Cicero, K. J. Burns, and R. C. K. Bowie. 2014. Genetic variation among western populations of the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) indicates recent colonization of the Channel Islands off southern California, mainland-bound dispersal, and postglacial range shifts. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 131: 162-174. For a pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an e-mail request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
30.Powell, A. F. L. A., F. K. Barker, S. M. Lanyon, K. J. Burns, J. Klicka, and I. J. Lovette. 2014. A comprehensive species-level molecular phylogeny of the New World blackbirds (Icteridae) 71: 94-112. For a pdf, you can go to the journal’s web site or just send an e-mail request to kburns@sdsu.edu.
29. Mason, N. A.* and K. J. Burns. 2013. Molecular phylogenetics of the Neotropical Seedeaters and Seed-finches (Sporophila, Oryzoborus, Dolospingus). Ornitología Neotropical 24: 139-155. pdf This article was picked as an Editor’s Choice.
28. Ryan, P. G., L. B. Klicka*, F. K. Barker, and K. J. Burns. 2013. The origin of finches on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, central South Atlantic ocean. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69: 299-305. For a pdf, you can go to journal’s web site or just send an e-mail request to kburns@sdsu.edu
27. Barker, F. K., K. J. Burns, J. Klicka, S. M. Lanyon, and I. J. Lovette. 2013. Going to extremes: Contrasting rates of diversification in a recent radiation of New World passerine birds. Systematic Biology 62: 298-320. link to article. supplemental material on dryad.
26. Shultz, A. J.* and K. J. Burns. 2013. Plumage evolution in relation to light environment in a novel clade of Neotropical tanagers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66: 112-125. For a pdf, go to journal’s web site or send an e-mail request to kburns@sdsu.edu
25. Mallarino, R., O. Campàs, J. A. Fritz, K. J. Burns, O. G. Weeks, M. P. Brenner, and A. Abzhanov. 2012. Closely related bird species demonstrate flexibility between beak morphology and underlying developmental programs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109: 16222-16227. pdf Media coverage in Science Daily.
24. Burns, K. J. and A. J. Shultz*. 2012. Widespread cryptic dichromatism and ultraviolet reflectance in the largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds: implications of accounting for avian vision in the study of plumage evolution. The Auk 129: 211-221. (editor’s choice) pdf. supplemental material. Media coverage in Birdwatching magazine. This paper was the most downloaded article in The Auk for 2012. Chosen as part of the special collection on color.
23. Lovette, I. J., J. L. Perez, J. P. Sullivan, R. C. Banks, I. Fiorentino, S. Cordoba-Cordoba, M. Echeverry-Galvis, F. K. Barker, K. J. Burns, J. Klicka, S. M. Lanyon, and E. Bermingham. 2010. A comprehensive mulitlocus phylogeny for the wood-warblers and a revised classification of the Parulidae (Aves). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57: 753-770. pdf
22. Sedano, R. E.* and K. J. Burns. 2010. Are the Northern Andes a species pump for Neotropical birds? Phylogenetics and biogeography of a clade of Neotropical tanagers (Aves: Thraupini). Journal of Biogeography 37: 325-343. pdf
21. Burns, K. J. and R. A. Racicot*. 2009. Molecular phylogenetics of a clade of lowland tanagers: Implications for avian participation in the Great American Interchange. The Auk 126: 635-648. pdf
20. Mauck, W. M.* and K. J. Burns. 2009. Phylogeny, biogeography, and recurrent evolution of divergent bill types in the nectar-stealing flowerpiercers (Thraupini: Diglossa and Diglossopis). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 98: 14-28. pdf
19. Klicka, J., K. J. Burns, and G. M. Spellman. 2007. Defining a monophyletic Cardinalini: A molecular perspective. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 45: 1014-1032. pdf
18. Burns, K. J., M. P. Alexander*, D. N. Barhoum*, and E. A. Sgariglia*. 2007. A statistical assessment of congruence among phylogeographic histories of three avian species in the California Floristic Province. Pages 96-109 in Festschrift for Ned K. Johnson: Geographic Variation and Evolution in Birds (C. Cicero and J. V. Remsen, Jr., Eds.). Ornithological Monographs, no. 63. pdf
17. Shepherd, T. M.* and K. J. Burns. 2007. Intraspecific genetic analysis of the Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra): Implications for species limits and conservation. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 13-27. pdf
16. Alexander, M. P.* and K. J. Burns. 2006. Intraspecific phylogeography and adaptive divergence in the White-headed Woodpecker. The Condor 108: 489-518. pdf
15. Burns, K. J. and D. N. Barhoum*. 2006. Population-level history of the Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata): Implications for comparative phylogeography in the California Floristic Province. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38: 117-129. pdf
14. Burns, K. J., and K. Naoki. 2004. Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of Neotropical tanagers in the genus Tangara. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 32: 838-854. pdf
13. Klein, N. K., K. J. Burns, S. J. Hacket, and C. S. Griffiths. 2004. Molecular phylogenetic relationships among the wood warblers (Parulidae) and historical biogeography in the Caribbean basin. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology Vol. 17, Special Issue Honoring Nedra Klein: 3-17. pdf
12. Burns, K. J., S. J. Hackett, and N. K. Klein. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships of Neotropical honeycreepers and the evolution of feeding morphology. Journal of Avian Biology 34: 360-370. pdf
11. Sgariglia, E. A.* and K. J. Burns. 2003. Phylogeography of the California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) based on nested-clade analysis of mitochondrial-DNA variation. The Auk 120: 346-361. pdf
10. Burns, K. J. and A. F. Skutch. 2003. Family Thraupidae: Tanagers and Tanager-Finches, pp. 628-631 in The Encyclopedia of Birds, C. Perrins, ed. Andromeda Oxford Ltd, Oxfordshire.
9. Burns, K. J., S. J. Hackett, and N. K. Klein. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships and morphological diversity in Darwin’s finches and their relatives. Evolution 56: 1240-1252. (Selected by Faculty of 1000) (Editor’s Choice, Science) pdf
8. Barhoum, D. N.* and K. J. Burns. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of the Wrentit based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. The Condor 104: 740-749. pdf
7. Ditchfield, A. and Burns, K. J. 1998. DNA sequences reveal phylogeographic similarities between Neotropical bats and birds. Journal of Comparative Biology 3: 165-170. pdf
6. Burns, K. J. 1998. A phylogenetic perspective on the evolution of sexual dichromatism in tanagers (Thraupidae): The role of female versus male plumage. Evolution 52: 1219-1224. pdf
5. Burns, K. J. 1998. Molecular phylogenetics of the genus Piranga: implications for biogeography and the evolution of morphology and behavior. Auk 115: 621-634. pdf
4. Burns, K. J. 1997. Molecular systematics of tanagers (Thraupinae): evolution and biogeography of a diverse radiation of Neotropical birds. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 8: 334-348. pdf
3. Burns, K. J. 1993. Geographic Variation in ontogeny of the Fox Sparrow. Condor 95: 652-661. pdf
2. Burns, K. J. and S. J. Hackett. 1993. Nest and nest-site characteristics of a western population of the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca). Southwestern Naturalist 238: 277-279. pdf
1. Burns, K. J. and R. M. Zink. 1990. Temporal and geographic homogeneity of gene frequencies in the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca). Auk 107: 421-424. pdf
Tanager Accounts for Cornell’s Birds of the World:
In addition to the above publications, we have written and published 86 accounts on tanagers for Cornell’s Birds of the World. These were originally published for Neotropical Birds Online, which was subsumed into Birds of the World in 2021. These accounts were written in collaboration with SDSU students.
A full list of accounts we have authored can be seen here.
Kevin J. Burns Lab 