SARA A. KAISER, PH.D.
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new grant for collaborative research in puerto rico!

2/1/2019

 
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My Smithsonian grant was funded! I will be examining genetic and fitness consequences of declining populations of the grasshopper sparrow in Puerto Rico following habitat damage by recent hurricanes. I will be collaborating with the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico to establish the first demographic study of this species in the Caribbean.

FIRST RECORD OF GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS ON CURAçAO IN OVER A DECADE!

7/1/2018

 
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Excited to share that during our latest field expedition to Curaçao we worked with local birders and biologists and documented the first grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) on the island in over a decade! We were surveying historical sites for our study of the geographic patterns in genetic and song variation of grasshopper sparrows across the Caribbean Islands.
Enjoy the slideshow!

NEW PAPER by cornell undergraduate collaborator!

6/8/2018

 
New paper published in The Auk, "Variation in nest characteristics and brooding patterns of female Black-throated Blue Warblers is associated with thermal cues". We tested the hypothesis that females adjust nest characteristics and brooding patterns in response to thermal variation during the nest-building and nestling stages. This work was conducted across a 2°C gradient at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. Our findings suggest that thermal cues during nest building may be unreliable as predictors of future conditions for developing nestlings and also that females might favor their own self-maintenance and compromise nestling growth under adverse thermal conditions 🔗 

Maria Smith was my undergraduate advisee at Cornell University. Maria is now a graduate student at Princeton University working with Christie Riehl.
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FIELD EXPEDITION: JAMAICA

6/6/2018

 
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Successful field expedition to Jamaica for our study of the geographic patterns in genetic and song variation of grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) across the Caribbean Islands.
Enjoy the slideshow!

NEW PAPER: GENETIC BENEFITS OF SOCIAL FORAGING IN an old world tropical BABBLER

1/23/2018

 
 New paper published in Behavioral Ecology, "Direct fitness benefits and kinship of social foraging groups in an Old World tropical babbler".  We combined behavioral and molecular data to provide a first description of the social and genetic mating system of the grey-throated babbler (Stachyris nigriceps)--a resident of tropical submontane forests across Southeast Asia.  Our findings highlight the importance of examining benefits of sociality for unrelated individuals that largely do not help and broaden the direct fitness benefits of group foraging beyond assumed survival benefits. 🔗 

​This was an exciting collaboration with Tom Martin's lab as part of their larger study on the life histories of the bird community at Kinabalu Park, in the state of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. This work was co-authored by Tom Martin, Juan Oteyza, Connor Armstad, and Rob Fleischer.
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new paper: sexual networks

12/13/2017

 
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Schematic of how networks were constructed (a–c) and sample network subset (d). Social pairing and paternity data (a) and spatial relationships (b) were used to obtain final edge weights (c), shown here for a hypothetical focal male in medium grey.
New paper published in Journal of Evolutionary Biology, "Characterizing selection in black-throated blue warblers using a sexual network approach".  We evaluate the application of the sexual network approach to empirical data and suggest that phenotypic traits such as song characteristics and plumage may be more relevant than body size for male–male competition in the black-throated blue warbler.  🔗 

​This research was led by my good friend, Becky Cramer (Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Cornell University).

field expedition: puerto rico

8/1/2017

 
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Just returned from a successful field expedition to Puerto Rico for our study of the geographic patterns in genetic and song variation of grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) across the Caribbean Islands.

field expedition: dominican republic

7/2/2017

 
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Just returned from a successful field expedition to the Dominican Republic for our study of the geographic patterns in genetic and song variation of grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) across the Caribbean Islands.

NEW PAPER: HORMONE RESPONSES IN BIRDS

2/6/2017

 
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New paper published in General and Comparative Endocrinology, "An experimental test of the effect of brood size on glucocorticoid responses, parental investment, and offspring phenotype". We demonstrate in barn swallows that while under moderately challenging environmental conditions brood size manipulations had context-dependent effects on female parental investment, and influenced nestling phenotype, maternal glucocorticoid levels were not modulated based on brood value but were individually consistent features of phenotype during breeding. 🔗

​This research was led by Maren Vitousek (Cornell University) and Rebecca Safran (University of Colorado-Boulder).

NEW PAPER: CONSTRAINTS ON MATING

2/2/2017

 
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New paper published in The American Naturalist, "Ecological and social factors constrain spatial and temporal opportunities for mating in a migratory songbird". We demonstrate that environmental constraints on extrapair mating could have overlooked consequences for the evolution of sexual traits. 🔗
Lay summary on ASN's Forthcoming Papers

featured in "The living bird" book

12/23/2016

 
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The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature is a beautiful hardcover book that celebrates the joyful and complex relationship between birds and people. The large format volume weaves together photos by award-winning photographer Gerrit Vyn with essays by Barbara Kingsolver, Jared Diamond, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Scott Weidensaul, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology director John Fitzpatrick. - Mountaineers Books

Read the profile on my path to becoming an ornithologist on pp. 168-169. I am honored to be included to showcase what it means to research birds.

For more on Gerrit's photography: ​http://gerritvynphoto.com

The book even has a trailer, which of course includes the beautiful song of the black-throated blue warbler.

new year, new project, new bird!

12/23/2016

 
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New year, new project, new bird, new region of the world to explore... my Smithsonian Bond grant was funded! I will be examining genetic and song divergence between migratory and sedentary populations of the grasshopper sparrow in the Caribbean Islands.

What is the connection between James Bond the ornithologist and 007? - Author Ian Fleming was an avid bird watcher and regularly used the field guide, "Birds of the West Indies", written by ornithologist James Bond to identify Caribbean birds. Fleming thought James Bond would be a great name for a spy in his novel and the rest is history.

New paper: snps vs. msats for parentage

9/9/2016

 
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Interested in using SNPs for parentage assignment? Check out our new manuscript in Molecular Ecology Resources, "A comparative assessment of SNP and microsatellite markers for assigning parentage in a socially monogamous bird." We demonstrate the efficacy of small SNP panels for paternity in wild populations. 🔗

presented on babbler mating system

8/16/2016

 
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​Chaired the Molecular Ecology session and presented "Direct fitness benefits and kinship of social foraging groups in an Old World tropical babbler" at the VI North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, D.C.

co-led workshop: improving your presentation skills

8/16/2016

 
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Here's a link to our NAOC pre-meeting workshop "Improving Your Presentation Skills" with Nick Mason, Scott Taylor, Matt Carling, and I. Hope you get at least one piece of sage advice. It was fun to put together.
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Followed by "Twitter for Scientists"

co-hosted AOU early professionals symposium and social

8/16/2016

 
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Co-hosted a successful Early Professionals Mini-Talk Symposium and Social at the VI North American Ornithological Conference with Mike Butler and Emma Greig for the third year. Thanks to all of the EP participants for highlighting the exciting research performed by early professionals and to all of the senior scientists for imparting their wisdom on the next generation of ornithologists. This event is earning its place on the schedule of the annual meeting.

Excited to be the new Chair of the Early Professionals Committee and work to retain this critical membership group by offering new incentives.

field expedition: organ pipe, AriZona

6/30/2016

 
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Just returned from co-leading a Cornell Lab of Ornithology field expedition with Dr. Emma Greig to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, AZ. We are studying the role of territory quality on the mating system of Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps). 

I really enjoyed working in the desert with these fantastic Cornell undergraduates: Max Lee Witynski, Liam Akerlof Berigan, Robert Alexander Breinholt Wiebe.

featured in "Hubbard Brook: The Story of a Forest Ecosystem" book

5/5/2016

 
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"Hubbard Brook: The Story of a Forest Ecosystem" coauthored by Richard Holmes and Gene Likens is now available.

Prepare yourself to be captivated by this wonderful book featuring photo contributions (with credit) from many of the students and field technicians that have worked with us over the years at Hubbard Brook. My time in this beautiful forest has been a drop in the bucket compared to the co-authors.

"For more than 50 years, the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire has been one of the most intensely studied landscapes on earth. This book highlights many of the important ecological findings amassed during the long-term research conducted there, and considers their regional, national, and global implications."

Learn more

new paper: babbler molecular markers

11/18/2015

 
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New paper published in BMC Research Notes, "Identification and characterization of microsatellite loci in two socially complex old world tropical babblers (Family Timaliidae)". The 16 microsatellite markers described in this paper will be used to assess genetic parentage and relatedness within social groups and describe the genetic mating system of these socially complex species. 🔗

guest lecture in biogeography at UmBC

11/5/2015

 
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Invited to give a guest lecture in Biogeography at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Had fun introducing the "Biogeography of Endemic Rainforest Birds of the Malay Archipelago" to undergraduates. Impressed that they remained alert throughout an 8 a.m. class!

featured in "seeking the wolf tree" children's book

11/1/2015

 
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Hubbard Brook has a new science education book for children and I'm a character in the book (Sara, the bird guide)! I was involved early on as a science advisor and am so happy that it is available now for my nephews and their friends to read and learn about the New England forests.

For more information and Supplementary Teaching Materials:
http://hubbardbrookfoundation.org/classroom-resources/seeking-the-wolf-tree/

Contact the author, Natalie Cleavitt (nlc4 at cornell.edu), for more information.

presented in AOU early professional mini talk symposium

7/30/2015

 
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Invited to present "Evolutionary ecology and phylogenetic basis for extra-pair mating" in the Early Professionals Mini-talk Symposium at the Joint 133rd Annual American Ornithologists’ Union Meeting, 85th Annual Cooper Ornithological Society in Norman, OK

presented at smithsonian ornithology exchange

5/29/2015

 
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Invited to present in the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Ornithology Exchange. Included talks from faculty, post-docs, and grads from the Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Migratory Bird Center, Natural History Museum, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland-Baltimore. Very inspiring to hear about the cutting-edge ornithological work at these regional institutions!

field expedition: malaysian Borneo

4/6/2015

 
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Just returned from a successful field expedition to Mount Kinabalu for our study of the population genetic structure and mating systems of tropical birds on the island of Borneo. 

Enjoy the slideshow!

invited seminar at Hamilton college

2/28/2015

 
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Invited to give a seminar "Adaptive plasticity in reproductive behavior in a changing world" to the Biology Department at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY.
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