The average person can name more bird species than they think but do we really know what a
bird ¿species¿ is? This open access book takes up several fascinating aspects of bird life to
elucidate this basic concept in biology. From genetic and physiological basics to the phenomena
of bird song and bird migration it analyzes various interactions of birds ¿ with their
environment and other birds. Lastly it shows imminent threats to birds in the Anthropocene
the era of global human impact. Although it seemed to be easy to define bird species the
advent of modern methods has challenged species definition and led to a multidisciplinary
approach to classifying birds. One outstanding new toolbox comes with the more and more
reasonably priced acquisition of whole-genome sequences that allow causative analyses of how
bird species diversify. Speciation has reached a final stage when daughter species are
reproductively isolated but this stage is not easily detectable from the phenotype we observe.
Culturally transmitted traits such as bird song seem to speed up speciation processes while
another behavioral trait migration helps birds to find food resources and also coincides
with higher chances of reaching new inhabitable areas. In general distribution is a major key
to understanding speciation in birds. Examples of ecological speciation can be found in birds
and the constant interaction of birds with their biotic environment also contributes to
evolutionary changes. In the Anthropocene birds are confronted with rapid changes that are
highly threatening for some species. Climate change forces birds to move their ranges but may
also disrupt well-established interactions between climate vegetation and food sources. This
book brings together various disciplines involved in observing bird species come into existence
modify and vanish. It is a rich resource for bird enthusiasts who want to understand various
processes at the cutting edge of current research in more detail. At the same time it offers
students the opportunity to see primarily unconnected but booming big-data approaches such as
genomics and biogeography meet in a topic of broad interest. Lastly the book enables
conservationists to better understand the uncertainties surrounding ¿species¿ as entities of
protection.
