Kevin S. Winker

The road to nowhere: geolocation-by-genotype traces large-scale yellow-browed warbler vagrancy to central Siberia

This paper uses genetic data to determine the origin of vagrant yellow-browed warblers in Europe, finding they originate from central Siberia, suggesting mass misorientation.

Efficient Inference of Macrophylogenies: Insights from the Avian Tree of Life

This study evaluates methods for inferring large-scale avian phylogenies, finding that fast tree search approaches balance computational efficiency and accuracy.

Evidence of positive selection and a novel phylogeny among five subspecies of song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) in Alaska

The paper examines local adaptation in five song sparrow subspecies in Alaska, finding evidence of positive selection in two genes and a novel phylogeny suggesting M. m. maxima colonized earliest.

Population genomics indicate three different modes of divergence and speciation with gene flow in the green-winged teal duck complex

Estimating movement rates between Eurasian and North American birds that are vectors of avian influenza (AI)

The paper estimates intercontinental movement rates between Eurasian and North American waterbirds, identifying species at highest risk for avian influenza spread.

An empirical examination of sample size effects on population demographic estimates in birds using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data

This study examines how sample size affects demographic parameter estimates in bird populations using SNP data, finding that effective population size is underestimated at low sample sizes.

A high-quality genome assembly of the North American Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia.

The paper presents a high-quality genome assembly of the song sparrow, Melospiza melodia, using Illumina sequencing and provides gene annotations and functional insights.

Adapterama I: Universal stubs and primers for 384 unique dual-indexed or 147,456 combinatorially-indexed Illumina libraries (iTru & iNext)

The paper introduces dual-indexing systems to reduce NGS start-up, buy-in, and sample preparation costs by enabling combinatorial indexing of Illumina libraries.

Population genomic analyses reveal a highly differentiated genetic cluster of northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis laingi) in Haida Gwaii

The paper identifies a distinct genetic cluster of northern goshawks in Haida Gwaii using genomic data and develops targeted assays to confirm its isolation.

Eyeballs On Science: Impact Is Not Just Citations, But How Big Is Readership?

The paper estimates readership of scientific publications by tracking download counts, finding a 10:1 download-to-citation ratio and highlighting the limitations of citation-based impact metrics.