Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids
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Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids
@jenteo.bsky.social
1.4K followers 610 following 720 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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Some peculiar duck hybrids provide insights into the evolution of sexual dichromatism
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/12/08/s...

#ornithology
Some peculiar duck hybrids provide insights into the evolution of sexual dichromatism
A closer look at captive hybrids between the Chiloé Wigeon and the Philippine Duck.
avianhybrids.wordpress.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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Starting the week with an unexpected milestone. My Avian Hybrids website has been visited more than 500,000 times. 🤩
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Although I don't really care about these statistics, it is nice to see some attention for avian hybridization and other #ornithology topics.
January 26, 2026 at 9:50 AM
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Why is sympatric speciation rare in birds?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/12/04/w...

#ornithology
Why is sympatric speciation rare in birds?
A guest post by Cody Porter on a recent study in The American Naturalist.
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January 24, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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I was updating some personal information on the university website. And I discovered that my contract will end on 31 December 4712... 😅
January 23, 2026 at 2:44 PM
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From Sweden to Japan: A genetic look at the White-backed Woodpecker
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/f...

#ornithology
From Sweden to Japan: A genetic look at the White-backed Woodpecker
A recent study uncovers four genetic lineages in this widespread species.
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January 23, 2026 at 2:03 PM
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The constrained evolution of a hybrid species, the Italian Sparrow
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/27/t...

#ornithology
The constrained evolution of a hybrid species, the Italian Sparrow
Unraveling the complex interplay between standing genetic variation and genetic incompatibilities.
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January 22, 2026 at 2:02 PM
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✍ Scientific stories: Why academia should move from publication metrics to narratives
jenteottenburghs.wordpress.com/2026/01/21/s...

Inspired by a recent Nature column by Adrian Barnett, I argue that publishing less isn’t the real solution. We need more focus on scientific narratives.
Scientific stories: Why academia should move from publication metrics to narratives
Publishing less papers might not be the best solution.
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January 21, 2026 at 5:02 PM
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Unraveling the evolutionary history of the Manakins
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/24/u...

#ornithology
Unraveling the evolutionary history of the Manakins
Different methods largely converge on the same species tree.
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January 21, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!

Hybridization between Yellow Cardinal and Diuca Finch aligns with Darwin’s Corollary to Haldane’s Rule
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2026/01/21/h...

Based on the Ecology and Evolution paper by Marisol Domínguez and her colleagues | #ornithology
Hybridization between Yellow Cardinal and Diuca Finch aligns with Darwin’s Corollary to Haldane’s Rule
Although there are other explanations for the observed patterns.
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January 21, 2026 at 7:20 AM
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Swapping pigmentation genes across the Parulidae phylogeny
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/20/s...

#ornithology
Swapping pigmentation genes across the Parulidae phylogeny
Genomic analyses reveal repeated exchange of pigmentation genes among these warblers.
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January 20, 2026 at 2:02 PM
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The only useful influencer is a "binfluencer". 😅
January 19, 2026 at 3:39 PM
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How the Pleistocene glacial cycles drove the evolution of Arctic shorebirds
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/h...

#ornithology
How the Pleistocene glacial cycles drove the evolution of Arctic shorebirds
An extensive study of 69 species highlights the role of glacial and interglacial periods.
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January 19, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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I hurt my ankle. So, I cannot go for long walks during the weekend. 😑 A good excuse to do some more reading.📚

I just finished "The Serengeti Rules" by Sean B. Carroll. A nice overview of molecular and ecological mechanisms, such as negative feedback and cascading effects.
January 18, 2026 at 1:34 PM
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Are the Blue-faced and the Papuan Parrotfinch different species or not?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/13/a...

#ornithology
Are the Blue-faced and the Papuan Parrotfinch different species or not?
These birds are morphologically distinct, but have similar mitochondrial DNA.
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January 17, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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Are Black Kite hybrids moving into Europe?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/10/a...

#ornithology
Are Black Kite hybrids moving into Europe?
Photographs reveal more birds with features from an eastern subspecies.
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January 16, 2026 at 2:04 PM
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Divergent sperm morphology as a reproductive barrier between Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrow
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/06/d...

#ornithology
Divergent sperm morphology as a reproductive barrier between Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrow
But is the difference large enough to interfere with fertilization?
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January 15, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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Nice to see a Crash Course on "scientific thinking". 😀

I used to be a huge fan of this YouTube-channel, but lately I found them influenced too much on certain ideologies instead of scientific facts. And some of the new hosts were not my cup of tea.

Looking forward to this series though!
thecrashcourse.bsky.social Crash Course @thecrashcourse.bsky.social · 20d
Coming soon: Crash Course Scientific Thinking. This 7-epsiode miniseries in partnership with HHMI Biointeractive will help understand peer review, consensus, what makes sources reliable (or not), and what “correlation doesn’t equal causation” actually means. Watch the course preview 1/13!
January 14, 2026 at 4:54 PM
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Unraveling the evolutionary history of the Galapagos Rail
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/11/03/u...

#ornithology
Unraveling the evolutionary history of the Galapagos Rail
When did this species reach the Galapagos Islands and where did it come from?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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Just submitted a Letter to Science... 😬🤞

Let's see how long I have to wait for the decision.
a yellow background with two fingers crossed on it .
ALT: a yellow background with two fingers crossed on it .
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January 14, 2026 at 12:43 PM
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New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!

Gene duplication might help Tree Sparrows adapt to industrial pollution
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/g...

Based on the Molecular Ecology paper by Shengnan Wang and colleagues | #ornithology
Gene duplication might help Tree Sparrows adapt to industrial pollution
But how do these duplicated genes contribute to local adaptation?
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January 14, 2026 at 7:53 AM
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Similar plumage, but different songs: How many subspecies of Willow Flycatcher are there?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/10/30/s...

#ornithology
Similar plumage, but different songs: How many subspecies of Willow Flycatcher are there?
Acoustic analyses support the recognition of a distinct southwestern subspecies.
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January 13, 2026 at 2:02 PM
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Are there still ‘pure’ Javan Pied Starlings?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/10/27/a...

#ornithology
Are there still ‘pure’ Javan Pied Starlings?
Historical samples inform conservation efforts to prevent extinction.
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January 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
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Genomic islands of differentiation in seedeaters are mainly the outcome of selective sweeps
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/10/23/g...

#ornithology
Genomic islands of differentiation in seedeaters are mainly the outcome of selective sweeps
New statistical methods point to several soft sweeps that acted on standing genetic variation.
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January 10, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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What is so special about Darwin’s Finches?
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/w...

#ornithology
What is so special about Darwin’s Finches?
Evolutionary analyses attempt to pinpoint the success of this adaptive radiation.
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January 9, 2026 at 2:03 PM
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Searching for a hybrid zone between two Andean warblers
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2021/10/16/s...

#ornithology
Searching for a hybrid zone between two Andean warblers
Extensive phenotypic variation across a transect between Ecuador and Colombia.
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January 8, 2026 at 2:03 PM