Representative publications, these will give you an idea of the kind of research done in the Burns lab. To see a full list of publications, see this page.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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., 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
Kevin J. Burns Lab 