Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids
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Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids
@jenteo.bsky.social
1.4K followers 610 following 680 posts
Assistant Professor at Wageningen University | Evolutionary Biology, Genomics and Ornithology | Blogging at Avian Hybrids
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Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids @jenteo.bsky.social · Dec 9
My approach to academia.
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Integrative taxonomy of the Lesser Short-toed Lark and Sand Lark species complex
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/18/i...

#ornithology
Integrative taxonomy of the Lesser Short-toed Lark and Sand Lark species complex
The combination of genetic and non-genetic data points to four distinct species.
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December 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Nice video about penguin evolution by @scishow.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=epuE...

The story sounded familiar... And indeed, I actually covered the underlying PNAS-paper on the Avian Hybrids blog in 2021.
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/w...

#ornithology
All Penguins Are From Australia
YouTube video by SciShow
www.youtube.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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More markers, more power? Genomic analyses uncover fine-scale population structure in Philippine Broadbills
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/15/m...

#ornithology
More markers, more power? Genomic analyses uncover fine-scale population structure in Philippine Broadbills
Ornithologists reconstruct the evolutionary history of several island populations.
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December 29, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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Not dead yet: The decaying W-chromosome of songbirds can still acquire new genes
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/11/n...

#ornithology
Not dead yet: The decaying W-chromosome of songbirds can still acquire new genes
Researchers report the transfer of genes from the Z- to the W-chromosome.
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December 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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A small genomic region explains the plumage differences between Townsend’s and Hermit Warbler
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/08/a...

#ornithology
A small genomic region explains the plumage differences between Townsend’s and Hermit Warbler
Three pigmentation genes might contribute to reproductive isolation.
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December 27, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Rapid evolution of sexual dimorphism in island populations of the Sulawesi Babbler
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/04/r...

#ornithology
Rapid evolution of sexual dimorphism in island populations of the Sulawesi Babbler
Stronger intraspecific competition on islands might explain this finding.
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December 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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The genomics of being an owl
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/t...

#ornithology
The genomics of being an owl
The search for candidate genes leads to a surprising hypothesis.
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December 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Protecting the White-tailed Tropicbird
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#ornithology
Protecting the White-tailed Tropicbird
Do conservation units correspond to the six recognized subspecies?
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December 24, 2025 at 2:02 PM
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Time for my yearly overview of the best books I read in 2025. 😃📚

- The Genetic Book of the Dead (Richard Dawkins)
- Behave (Robert Sapolsky)
- Birds, Sex & Beauty (Matt Ridley)
- Lord of the Flies (Aimée de Jongh)

Complete overview on Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/user/year_in...
December 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM
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Next book on the reading list "The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin.

I have explored several chapters (especially the one on Hybridism), but I never read this classic cover to cover. Time to change that! 😀📚
December 24, 2025 at 11:11 AM
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New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!

Do plumage patterns predict hybridization between subspecies of the Variable Seedeater?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/12/24/d...

Based on the Molecular Ecology paper by Diego Ocampo and his colleagues | #ornithology
Do plumage patterns predict hybridization between subspecies of the Variable Seedeater?
Comparing contact zones leads to a surprising conclusion.
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December 24, 2025 at 10:48 AM
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Female preference for red plumage drives hybridization in tinkerbirds
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/25/f...

#ornithology
Female preference for red plumage drives hybridization in tinkerbirds
does this red plumage also honestly signal male quality?
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December 23, 2025 at 2:03 PM
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Hybrid pairing between a Cerulean Warbler and a Black-throated Blue Warbler
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/21/h...

#ornithology
Hybrid pairing between a Cerulean Warbler and a Black-throated Blue Warbler
Detailed nest observations confirm the first case of this hybrid combination.
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December 22, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Ghost populations explain how the Red-billed Chough reached the Canary Islands
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/18/g...

#ornithology
Ghost populations explain how the Red-billed Chough reached the Canary Islands
Genetic analyses point to a ghost population on the African coast.
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December 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Postzygotic isolation drives speciation in Warbling-antbirds
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/14/p...

#ornithology
Postzygotic isolation drives speciation in Warbling-antbirds
Several lines of evidence indicate strong selection against hybrids.
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December 19, 2025 at 2:02 PM
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How often do Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye hybridize?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/11/h...

#ornithology
How often do Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye hybridize?
A genetic study detected only one hybrid individual.
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December 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
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✍️New blog post! Evolution Has No Plan: Why Organisms Don’t Rewrite Their DNA
jenteottenburghs.wordpress.com/2025/12/18/e...

The news articles on polar bears that are “rewriting their DNA in response to climate change” triggered me to write this blog post. Evolution has no foresight.
Evolution Has No Plan: Why Organisms Don’t Rewrite Their DNA
A quick explanation of some common misunderstandings about evolution.
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December 18, 2025 at 12:46 PM
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Why do male and female birds look different? A role for alternative splicing
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/07/w...

#ornithology
Why do male and female birds look different? A role for alternative splicing
Genomic analyses test whether alternative splicing contributes to sexual dimorphism.
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December 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
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Several popular science websites reported that polar bears are "rewriting their DNA" in response to climate change. However, not one journalist took the time to critically evaluate the original study. I am not convinced. You can find my critique here.
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/a...
Are polar bears “re-writing their DNA” in response to climate change?
More work is needed to confirm these speculations.
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December 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
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New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!

Are polar bears “re-writing their DNA” in response to climate change?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/a...

No #ornithology, but a critical perspective on a recent claim that some polar bears are "changing their DNA" due to rising temperatures.
Are polar bears “re-writing their DNA” in response to climate change?
More work is needed to confirm these speculations.
avianhybrids.wordpress.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:28 AM
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Adaptive potential of the endangered Antioquia wren
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/08/04/a...

#ornithology
Adaptive potential of the endangered Antioquia wren
Reduced genetic diversity in neutral and functional markers raises a red flag.
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December 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
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I have seen this claim popping up at several news outlets. When headlines report dramatic findings, the most reliable approach is to check the original scientific paper. I am not convinced by their "evidence". 🤔

Stay tuned for a blog post later this week. 😉
December 15, 2025 at 3:36 PM
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How strong is reproductive isolation between Golden-winged and Blue-winged warbler?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/07/31/h...

#ornithology
How strong is reproductive isolation between Golden-winged and Blue-winged warbler?
A summary of a recent debate in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
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December 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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Across Asia and beyond: The evolutionary story of the Common Pheasant
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/07/28/a...

#ornithology
Across Asia and beyond: The evolutionary story of the Common Pheasant
Genetic study reconstructs the Asian diversification of the Common Pheasant.
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December 13, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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Genetic evidence for hybridization between Magellanic and Humboldt penguins
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/07/24/g...

#ornithology
Genetic evidence for hybridization between Magellanic and Humboldt penguins
Several genetic markers are useful to identify hybrids and backcrosses.
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December 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM