SEPTEMBER 2014 MEETING:
Julie Smith, Associate Professor of Biology at Pacific Lutheran University, will be giving a talk on “Speciation in North American Red Crossbills” at University Place Library on Monday, September 29, at 6:45 pm.
The North American red crossbill complex is composed of ten distinct taxa referred to as call types that are distinguished by differences in their vocalizations, body size and bill morphology.
Red crossbills use their unique crossed mandibles to extract seeds from partially closed pine cones. Because bill size and palate structure influence how rapidly seeds can be removed and husked respectively, conifer species with different sized cones and seeds favor the evolution of crossed bills of different sizes. These different morphological and ecological forms exhibit high levels of reproductive isolation which have evolved recently in the last 6,000-12,000 years.
Monday, September 29 at 6:45 pm
University Place Library
3609 Market Pl W #100, University Place, WA
This presentation was terrific, with Dr. Smith sharing her expertise and passion for red crossbill research. It was like hearing Darwin talk about his finches with 21st century technology and information. Really fun. Thanks to Julie Smith for presenting and Kay and others for setting this program up.