Abstract
The New Zealand bird fauna is unique in the world and a key element of New Zealand's natural heritage. In the absence of mammals, birds have evolved to fill their ecological niches. This unusual situation has for example given rise to the world's largest raptor, Haast's Eagle, the ecological equivalent of a lion or tiger. New Zealand is also home to the only alpine parrot in the world, the kea, and the world's only flightless parrot, the Kakapo. I will discuss ongoing genomic studies into the biogeography, evolution and extinction of key representatives of the New Zealand bird fauna.
Speaker
Associate Professor Michael Knapp. Visit Michael Knapp's webpage at Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, New zealand.
Time
Please be aware of the change in time; to accommodate for the 10 hours time difference between Europe and NZ, the CEES seminar will be at 10:15 instead of the usual 14:15. Bring a cup of coffee!
Opportunity to talk to the speaker
After the seminar, there will be opportunity to talk to the speaker personally. Should you wish to use this opportunity, let us know beforehand so that we can notify the speaker.
Zoom link
The zoom link has been shared through the CEES seminar mailing list.