New World blackbirds originated in North America before spreading south
Researchers from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg reconstructed the evolutionary history of over 100 New World blackbird species and found they originated in North America.
Ancient ancestors lived north
Dr. Axel Arango Garcia and professor Chaitanya S. Gokhale analyzed data to determine the birds' origins. Their findings indicate that the family Icteridae started in North America millions of years ago. This conclusion contrasts with a 1946 proposal by Ernst Mayr suggesting a South American start.
Spread moved southward
The species gradually expanded their range from the north toward the south over time. Today these songbirds occupy habitats ranging from the Arctic taiga to tropical rainforests. The study was published in the journal Frontiers of Biogeography.
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