Meetings and Speakers

September Meeting

Mountain chickadees change their tune when they live beside black-capped chickadees

Kathryn Grabenstein, Postdoc, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Monday, September 8, 2025.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Understanding how species co-exist is a fundamental goal of ecology.  My colleagues and I explore the interplay between ecology and evolution to better understand how closely-related, ecologically-similar species co-exist using two species of songbirds which sometimes mate with each other (hybridize): black-capped and mountain chickadees. 

About the Speaker: I am an evolutionary ecologist interested in understanding how humans change the way closely-related species interact and shift their evolutionary trajectories. I am also a mentor, teacher, advocate, and storyteller and have intentionally woven these threads throughout my research. Natural history is foundational to my research: I combine field studies and genomics to study hybridization in the context of human change. For my dissertation research, I founded and directed the Boulder Chickadee Study, a citizen science network of over 75 households and 400 nest boxes to explore the natural histories of Colorado chickadees and understand how humans are shifting evolution for species living alongside us. As a scientist, I conduct research that teaches us about the natural world, trains the next generation of stewards, and inspires local communities to nurture nature around them.

Contact: kcg37@cornell.edu