* denotes SDSU student co-author
Demery, A-J* and K. J. Burns. in press. Widespread convergent morphological evolution within the largest family of songbirds. Evolution, qpac069 Access article here
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Richart, C. H.* and K. J. Burns. 2017. Birding San Diego State University. PostScript SDSU Retired Faculty/Staff News 32: 10. pdf
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Alexander, M. P.* and K. J. Burns. 2006. Intraspecific phylogeography and adaptive divergence in the White-headed Woodpecker. The Condor 108: 489-518. pdf
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Burns, K. J. 1993. Geographic Variation in ontogeny of the Fox Sparrow. Condor 95: 652-661. pdf
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
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 Neotropical Birds Online:
In addition to the above publications, we have also published several accounts on tanagers for Neotropical Birds Online, produced by Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. Neotropical Birds Online is an authoritative, online resource for life histories of Neotropical birds. Most of these accounts on tanagers were written in collaboration with students in Biology 524, Ornithology. In 2020, all of the accounts from Neotropical Birds Online were subsumed into Cornell’s Birds of the World.
A full list of accounts we have authored can be seen here.
Kevin J. Burns Lab 