Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Types of Selection

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...

Conservation of Declining Populations

Conservation of Declining Populations

Conservation of declining population focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and halting a population decline. The approach uses methods to prevent populations from going extinct.

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.

Mate Choice

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.

Migration

Migration

Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.

Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Pangenomes reveal extensive structural variation in a suboscine passerine bird, the Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer).

Genetics·2026

Same author

Population-scale long-read DNA sequencing: peering under the hood of the new evolutionary genomics.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026

Same author

Nine changes needed to deliver a radical transformation in biodiversity measurement.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Convergent and lineage-specific genomic changes shape adaptations in sugar-consuming birds.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same author

Pangenomes: new tools for ecological and evolutionary genomics.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2025

Same author

Multispecies pangenomes reveal a pervasive influence of population size on structural variation.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Same journal

Pitch selectivity in ferret auditory cortex.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

A cell size-dependent competition between geometry and polarity governs nuclear and spindle positioning in early embryos.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Trophic cascades drive sustainability in the agricultural heritage rice-fish coculture system.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Tracking Satb2-positive retinal ganglion cells in zebrafish unveils developmental functional reorganization.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

RhoGAP54D promotes cell size asymmetry and inhibits pulsatile myosin activity in Drosophila neural stem cells.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Increased rates of hybridization in swordtails are associated with water pollution.

Current biology : CB·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 24, 2025

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field

Published on: August 2, 2011

Passerine birds.

C Jonathan Schmitt¹, Scott V Edwards¹

¹Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|October 25, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Passerines, the most diverse bird group, are globally abundant and familiar. Their songs and adaptability make them vital models for both lab and field research.

More Related Videos

Using a Thermal Camera to Measure Heat Loss Through Bird Feather Coats

Using a Thermal Camera to Measure Heat Loss Through Bird Feather Coats

Published on: June 17, 2020

Procedures for Identifying Infectious Prions After Passage Through the Digestive System of an Avian Species

Procedures for Identifying Infectious Prions After Passage Through the Digestive System of an Avian Species

Published on: November 6, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 24, 2025

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field

Published on: August 2, 2011

Using a Thermal Camera to Measure Heat Loss Through Bird Feather Coats

Using a Thermal Camera to Measure Heat Loss Through Bird Feather Coats

Published on: June 17, 2020

Procedures for Identifying Infectious Prions After Passage Through the Digestive System of an Avian Species

Procedures for Identifying Infectious Prions After Passage Through the Digestive System of an Avian Species

Published on: November 6, 2013

Area of Science:

Ornithology
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Passeriformes, or passerines, represent the most species-rich avian group, comprising nearly 6500 species.
These birds exhibit global distribution and high abundance across terrestrial environments.
Their familiarity and prominence in culture and science stem from their diversity and ecological significance.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the ecological and scientific importance of passerines.
To underscore their role as model organisms in various research fields.
To emphasize their global distribution and abundance.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on passerine diversity, distribution, and abundance.
Analysis of passerine roles in human culture and scientific research.
Synthesis of their utility as model organisms in laboratory and field studies.

Main Results:

Passerines constitute approximately two-thirds of all bird species.
They are globally distributed and highly abundant, making them easily observable.
Their vocalizations and adaptability facilitate their use in diverse research areas.

Conclusions:

Passerines are crucial for understanding avian diversity and ecology.
Their accessibility and adaptability make them invaluable models for neurobiology, genetics, behavioral ecology, and climate change research.
Continued study of passerines offers significant insights into broader biological and evolutionary processes.