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Paul Zwiers

Ph.D. Candidate, University of Maryland

My interests focus on the determination of group and species evolution through molecular techniques as well as behavioral analysis.  My current project concentrates on the bowerbirds that inhabit Australia and New Guinea.  These birds have a wide range of coloration and behaviors.  One behavior which these birds are famous for is the building of bowers, either avenue looking or maypole designed structures used in the fantastic courtship displays the male bowerbird puts on to attract females.  By using their behaviors as well as molecular markers, I hope to discover more about the phylogeny of bowerbirds and possible sexual selection due to some of these molecular markers.

More information on bowerbirds can be found at this link.

http://www.wam.umd.edu/~Borgia/Bower.html

Revision: October 2001

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