http://www.jonathanrader.net/bio daily 1.0 2023-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484584751800-8ALOVXLL28ZXEGBIZDH0/Phylogeny Bio Isotopic niche widths of Cinclodes ovenbirds. Figure from Rader et al. 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484586400552-KL19P1VVSD3I07KXH31G/snowies Bio Sunset over the Snowy Range in southeastern Wyoming, as viewed from Laramie, WY. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484585628421-OJT5WR99709JF54APCG4/Sue Bio My 1/20th scale model of the "Sue" specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483236265373-WBZ65NEF3QN1DT9B281D/image-asset.jpeg Bio A somewhat damp looking Cinclodes nigrofumosus. This species lives exclusively in intertidal zones in Chile. Photo by Pablo Sabat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483236065289-XL7RNERP8JKLLPWE0T3Y/image-asset.jpeg Bio A turkey vulture doing what they usually do... gliding lazily. This one happened to be in Chapel Hill, NC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484596781503-FI9HIICEZ0XD9R6AXVUR/image-asset.jpeg Bio My trusty friend for many long, desolate miles of Wyoming road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484596888734-UKZVBSI3D0749YYKSKKS/IMG_0935.jpg Bio A 1/20th scale model of the Jurassic age Ceratosaurus that I sculpted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484597009112-KNQ0LQNG3K9IOW18DNWS/image-asset.jpeg Bio View of the Tetons across Jenny Lake. Oil on canvas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484597286740-OQ7NW9Q1I2IZ9CBKK398/image-asset.jpeg Bio ...in all her glory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483149361473-3LSYREKA18FUJNNJTMLX/winter+on+the+rim.jpg Bio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483149522998-L2X65IJ1A2L1L2GS3GQ8/winter+on+the+rim.jpg Bio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483150488181-KXZTOXLVR8H1RB58H9DP/marmot.jpg Bio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483199472037-TR75JZAAU7NYKFLP9ATK/vultureslensflare.jpg Bio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484590010789-N62DPVANKG50OXDJVRNY/IMG_20150606_132819_672.jpg Bio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484597710140-1RSAN1EM9KWZMPCP14CR/the_sinks.jpg Bio http://www.jonathanrader.net/gallery daily 0.75 2023-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483237159049-2BRU6P25A1LUPUFCF88D/IMG_0007.JPG Gallery - Wyoming Thunderstorm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483237159049-2BRU6P25A1LUPUFCF88D/IMG_0007.JPG Gallery - Wyoming Thunderstorm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483237106966-RCQBAHLO25EQBWRH0RLO/IMG_0007.JPG Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484586914535-5SLYJL67TASUME1W5OK7/snowy+range.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484586925512-KUK1SJCHYUGXNCJ4UP9V/winter+on+the+rim.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484586984043-2FGXCZB46XRF915PB7MT/bigcroc.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484587038251-ORAA894FGDZQ1Q4MQMQF/elephantherd.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484591048342-5SWOLHFYWTWZP6GFGZFA/red+bluffs.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484591059753-QETKKQY8EXSAI9VLLPXO/the_sinks.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484923811121-UJP5CCNM69YOLMDNUMVX/K20D8658.JPG Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985591632-MBMSKCYZ9HOJT9T2QQM9/20110603-K20D8387-Pano.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985588248-4WXFXTD8MXUZ63TJ9G1V/20110613-K20D8461.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985603370-KBESIDKQAISCKH7YC6LE/20110602-K20D8364.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985672145-FASXOUF6RF4HVRKS228J/20200614-K20D0468.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985664886-MZNEGVIF4LHZYO1S3RA7/20200615-K20D0501.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985821052-VBQMNXZ0MDQ1MV39QG3P/20200530-K20D0216.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985678670-658NX4PD080SY3HXOIJ3/20200618-_K200780-SharpenAI-softness.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985824818-3AB3QDKB55HWI9KCOWZE/20200604-K20D0262-SAI.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985823837-HQMZCEOG1GUG2B8ZU2Q5/K20D0052-1-SharpenAI-motion_edit_v1.0.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985858789-FULW6DEGKPU1T7Q6XTXY/K20D9825-Pano-1-2.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985838105-W8156GH3ULOY63VFNMZA/K20D9869-1.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1624985861262-SQSPGK5BA8TCANGCPMQT/K20D9958-1.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476444926-4WSD8IDYL6Q38UCKSHWR/20201228-_K202305.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476483485-GC268992E0LI77Z01I1F/IMGP4927.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476532943-38Y0RO4T46TWAKVH22LF/20220724untitled-IMGP3570.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476559424-15V9475JZGXCJMUXRB9M/IMGP5180.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476561613-7AHHC3W04VGFAH0K93CE/IMGP5227.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1699476582235-UXKUTRF1LNUO0H0IQPI6/20220109-IMGP0854.jpg Gallery http://www.jonathanrader.net/teaching daily 0.75 2018-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522293149026-7RUR9D39OI3FW53ERSEH/Xenopus_laevis_pair.JPG Teaching The aquatic frog Xenopus laevis. Via Wikipedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522291834118-ZJX7CKGC8FCX4DMIIW32/frog_muscle.jpg Teaching Thin section of gastrocnemius muscle from Xenopus laevis. The preparation was done by students in my comparative physiology lab at UNC Chapel Hill. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522289741317-XX6AUYMVDUY54OGYI9T2/frog_muscle.jpg Teaching http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal daily 0.75 2018-04-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1484923735887-J0M1SE4VN2ACXJO65KQD/K20D8658.JPG Journal http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/4/15/sing-on-sing-on-o-thrush monthly 0.5 2018-04-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523826366680-8KQ99WLEBUBNSLM21JS5/American_Robin.jpg Journal - Sing on, sing on, O thrush! Image credit: Naturelady on Pixabay. http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/4/2/fish-hawk-wait-what monthly 0.5 2018-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522692940075-5OV7I7AFR89TXED9W93N/Osprey2.jpg Journal - Fish hawk. Wait, what? Photo credit: Simon Carrasco via Wikimedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522692766584-ALBWAIPGLEPQ1UVW7ECF/Osprey1.jpg Journal - Fish hawk. Wait, what? Photo credit: NASA via Wikipedia Commons. http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/3/30/a-regal-hawk monthly 0.5 2018-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522434128868-PHULC07JNZRQXOYHW56D/Ferruginous_Hawk.jpg Journal - A regal hawk. This captive ferruginous hawk is showing off the white underbelly and red pants that characterize this species. Photo credit: Dennis Jarvis via Wikipedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522554285576-89I8DO5LB0XM3HWWP399/Red-Shouldered_Hawk.jpg Journal - A regal hawk. Photo credit: David A. Hofmann via flickr. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522554928209-C4EMA2RK6PDZJ9SBIFAQ/Ferruginous_Hawk_1.jpg Journal - A regal hawk. A ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) seeking a new perspective. Sometimes it best not to question royalty. Photo credit: Tony Hisgett via Wikipedia Commons. http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/3/29/summer-hawks-winter-hawks monthly 0.5 2018-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522377614576-FHLX9XVEJZP0AJPPIG8Q/Swainsons_Hawk.jpg Journal - Summer hawks. Winter hawks. Soaring Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni). The dark bib and dark trailing edges of the wings are the telltale marks of a Swainson's. Photo credit: Steven Mlodinow via Macauley Library. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522377834307-FPOVZ1LDN7SX2PHER11F/Rough-Legged_Hawk.jpg Journal - Summer hawks. Winter hawks. The winter hawk, a rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus). The dark carpal patches and belly band are their diagnostic features. Photo credit: Rodney Crice via Macauley Library. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522378614549-BA1VMDBMEBRYQQ2EKGBK/Red-Tailed_Hawk.jpg Journal - Summer hawks. Winter hawks. Apparently, this red tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) spotted the camera! Dark shoulder patches, and of course (sometimes), the brilliant rust-red tail are diagnostic of this species. Photo credit: Brian Sullivan via Macauley Library. http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/3/28/harriers-and-hawks-and-a-grosbeak-for-good-measure monthly 0.5 2018-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522294952344-3X89POTLLZ3BC9TUR6WQ/Pine_Grosbeak.jpg Journal - Harriers and hawks, and a grosbeak for good measure. A beautiful pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) from the frozen north. My specimen is from Alaska. So, not being from North Carolina, and having only one sample means that it's of limited use for my study, but it was too cool of a wing to pass up! Photo credit: Ron Knight via Wikipedia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522294518001-KUFXMB76LT4PM6B7VMIJ/Northern_Harrier.jpg Journal - Harriers and hawks, and a grosbeak for good measure. A northern harrier (Circus cyaneus) in flight. You'll usually see this species gliding low over the landscape, swooping and diving over the terrain. The white band on their butt is the tell-tale feature that you're looking at a harrier. Photo credit: Rob Zweers via Wikipedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522294746618-1WHBK1TDQCSBO7Q5QGZU/Broad_Winged_Hawk.jpg Journal - Harriers and hawks, and a grosbeak for good measure. Broad-winged hawks (Buteo platypterus) are pretty common around here. Photo credit: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo via Wikipedia Commons. http://www.jonathanrader.net/journal/2018/3/25/x1mwqc6wvib0ucxtdw8ak9dhu6i4fa-6ym3b monthly 0.5 2018-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522026363696-I4FCG5L5RLLTP8ZLTYUD/Pine_Siskin.jpg Journal - Crossbills! Photo credit: Simon Pierre Barrette, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cephas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522026610385-X2EBBCPCTTF6JKC116Q0/Red_Crossbill.jpg Journal - Crossbills! Photo credit: Elaine R. Wilson, via http://www.naturespicsonline.com/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1522026274591-TLYAIDJGURLU5H5U2OWW/Lawrences_Goldfinch.jpg Journal - Crossbills! Photo credit: Brian Small, via http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/lawrences-goldfinch http://www.jonathanrader.net/research daily 0.75 2023-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483236065289-XL7RNERP8JKLLPWE0T3Y/image-asset.jpeg Research A turkey vulture doing what they usually do... gliding lazily. This one happened to be in Chapel Hill, NC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483236265373-WBZ65NEF3QN1DT9B281D/image-asset.jpeg Research A somewhat damp looking Cinclodes nigrofumosus. This species lives exclusively in intertidal zones in Chile. Photo by Pablo Sabat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523817658994-FV7U9KU6V0P6PYFTFWTF/F3-NicheWidths.jpg Research Figure from Rader et al. 2017. A) Isotopic niche widths varied among Cinclodes species, with C. patagonicus and C. oustaleti displaying the broadest geographic ranges and dietary niches. Points are scaled relative to niche width values. 95% confidence intervals are contained within the points. B) Phylogenetically-controlled generalized least squares analyses indicated that dietary niches among Cinclodes were correlated with geographic range. This result is robust to the assumption of phylogenetic covariance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523816883775-0X5174J4SFY74K1BOI2S/Cinclodes_patagonicus.jpg Research Our results demonstrated that Cinclodes patagonicus's migratory habits leads to broad geographic distribution, and a broad dietary tolerance. My Master's advisor, Carlos Martínez del Rio, and one of our collaborators, Pablo Sabat demonstrated that C. patagnoicus's unique salt tolerance comes from their incredible kidneys. Via Wikimedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523817622307-KTQLON5UW0S8S0OL3NR7/F1-MapNiches.jpg Research Figure from Rader et al. 2017. A) Geographic ranges of Cinclodes, redrawn from (Remsen et al. 2003) . B) Carbon and nitrogen isotopic niches, and C) Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic niches of Cinclodes are depicted as standard ellipses. We used the area of these ellipses as a measure of niche breadth. For descriptive purposes we outlined the carbon and nitrogen isotopic space occupied by the food webs that Cinclodes can potentially use. The island space represents only island vegetation fertilized by seabird guano. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523809926225-HRDVPSNTQG76IRK34KKI/Stout-billed_Cinclodes.jpg Research Stout-billed Cinclodes (Cinclodes excelsior). Photo credit: Francesco Veronesi via Wikimedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523811501795-O6JJO9J8YMI0N5A70W3W/Figure5.jpg Research - Big Cinclodes, little Cinclodes A) We found that the two primary groups initially diverged strongly in body size leading to a large-sized clade and a small-sized clade. Two species are exceptional as they appear to have evolved a large-size within the small clade and small-size within the large clade. We speculate that these may represent cases of island gigantism and ecological character displacement. B) We also found some minor differentiation among species in wing shape and foot morphology. Our findings suggest that although speciation and ecological divergence has been rapid in the genus Cinclodes, they are not as morphologically diverse as one might predict for an adaptive radiation. There's more to the Cinclodes story than this, though. Keep scrolling! Figure from Rader et al. 2014. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523818076943-QV8VBCE9T0SN96RA8XQ2/Cinclodes_patagonicus2.jpg Research Cinclodes patagonicus is a particularly interesting species. It's a songbird that makes its living catching and eating seafood during the winter, with all of the salt that it comes with. This is remarkable, because songbirds, in general, are really terrible at dealing with high salt loads. Then, during the summer, C. patagonicus migrates up into the Andes to feed in freshwater streams. Via Wikimedia commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523791425710-DO7WYP2GY6HCQM5YLVSW/1280px-Thomas_Moran_-_The_Three_Tetons.jpg Research The Three Tetons, oil on canvas, by Thomas Moran. I am forever inspired by his work, and by the Tetons! Via Wikimedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523795992162-7ELU7786VU1OCD78HI1C/img_turkeyvulture_mh_large.jpg Research See? They really are lovely! I've had this photo around for a while, and unfortunately, I don't know where I found it. But, it was too lovely for me not to include here. If this is your photo, please let me know! I would love to credit you for it! Or, if you would prefer that I not use it, I will certainly, though somewhat sadly, remove it from my site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523792044748-EC8ZU212IQXL0HYWX552/Gliding_vulture.jpg Research Air density decreases as you ascend through the atmosphere. This makes it harder for fliers to develop the lift they need to stay in the air, which can be... problematic! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523792731198-7P65Q59TNADG4FFE93JM/Here%2527s+Looking+at+You.jpg Research Turkey vultures really are gorgeous birds! My friend, the incredibly talented Kim Middleton agrees, and she did a wonderful job of capturing the iridescent beauty of their plumage. I love this painting, and I am grateful to Kim for allowing me to use it here. Check out the rest of her work at www.kimmiddleton.com. She's amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523795138907-DRNT9WHHNCHAAJE20BQE/Vulture_tracks.jpg Research - Vulture tracks! I traveled to three vulture roost sites, where I set up my fleet of cameras, and collected video of the birds returning from foraging at the end of the day. From those videos, we assembled 3-D tracks for the birds, and from those tracks and data about the ambient weather conditions, we were able to extract airspeeds for the vultures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523792063131-R5LD2FIOEFZENJI4SLAX/Falling_vulture.jpg Research I really wanted a comical illustration to depict the challenge of flying in low air density, but creating one was well beyond my ability. Luckily, I have some extremely talented friends, like Zubin Erik Dutta. Zubin is a rising star in the paleoart world, and I thank him for taking on my crazy commission here! Check out more of his work! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523792425756-NS72YW48786WTPZ4JWXJ/vultureslensflare.jpg Research This is, possibly, my most accidentally awesome photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483199472037-TR75JZAAU7NYKFLP9ATK/vultureslensflare.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523796258475-9M1IUKR5A5642EH88YYN/img_turkeyvulture_mh_large.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1523810428864-UCKSBVBI1OE00COV4WEO/Cinclodes_nigrofumosus.jpg Research http://www.jonathanrader.net/vitae daily 0.75 2023-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54776af6e4b0db8f169f94df/1483237697660-FG4ER8DZ8MIVQZJWE5DH/MaraSunset1.jpg CV