Alström lab
Taxonomy, systematics and evolution of birds

We study the taxonomy of multiple groups of passerine birds by integrating DNA, morphology, vocalizations, other behaviours, ecology and geographical distributions. Phylogenetic relationships are reconstructed using DNA. A plethora of evolutionary questions, e.g. how new species evolve, are studied integrating all of the data above.
Group members
Publications
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024
Part of BMC Biology, 2024
- DOI for Gene flow and an anomaly zone complicate phylogenomic inference in a rapidly radiated avian family (Prunellidae)
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Integrative taxonomy of an East Asian songbird indicates rapid dwarfism after island colonization
Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 509-522, 2024
Part of Systematic Biology, p. 279-289, 2024
Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 1-16, 2023
- DOI for Genome-wide SNPs confirm plumage polymorphism and hybridisation within a Cyornis flycatcher species complex
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Disjunct resident population of Melodious Lark Mirafra cheniana discovered in East Africa
Part of Journal of Ornithology, p. 55-71, 2023
- DOI for Disjunct resident population of Melodious Lark Mirafra cheniana discovered in East Africa
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Part of Zootaxa, p. 173-192, 2023
Part of Systematic Biology, 2023
- DOI for Introgression Underlies Phylogenetic Uncertainty But Not Parallel Plumage Evolution in a Recent Songbird Radiation
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Part of Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2023
- DOI for Integrative taxonomy reveals unrecognised species diversity in African Corypha larks (Aves: Alaudidae)
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Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2023
- DOI for A near-complete and time-calibrated phylogeny of the Old World flycatchers, robins and chats (Aves, Muscicapidae)
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Part of Animals, 2023
- DOI for Recent Northward Expansion of a Passerine Bird Species, Brownish-Flanked Bush Warbler (Horornis fortipes)
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Systematics of the avian family Alaudidae using multilocus and genomic data
Part of Avian Research, 2023
- DOI for Systematics of the avian family Alaudidae using multilocus and genomic data
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Limited Song Mixing Without Genomic Gene Flow in a Contact Zone Between Two Songbird Species
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, 2023
- DOI for Limited Song Mixing Without Genomic Gene Flow in a Contact Zone Between Two Songbird Species
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Genomic and phenotypic changes associated with alterations of migratory behaviour in a songbird
Part of Molecular Ecology, p. 381-392, 2023
The formation of the Indo-Pacific montane avifauna
Part of Nature Communications, 2023
- DOI for The formation of the Indo-Pacific montane avifauna
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Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2022
- DOI for Cryptic species in a colorful genus: Integrative taxonomy of the bush robins (Aves, Muscicapidae, Tarsiger) suggests two overlooked species
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Most Genomic Loci Misrepresent the Phylogeny of an Avian Radiation Because of Ancient Gene Flow
Part of Systematic Biology, p. 961-975, 2021
- DOI for Most Genomic Loci Misrepresent the Phylogeny of an Avian Radiation Because of Ancient Gene Flow
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Morphology, vocalizations, and mitochondrial DNA suggest that the Graceful Prinia is two species
Part of The AUK, 2021
- DOI for Morphology, vocalizations, and mitochondrial DNA suggest that the Graceful Prinia is two species
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Mongolian Short-toed LarkCalandrella dukhunensis, an overlooked East Asian species
Part of Journal of Ornithology, p. 165-177, 2021
- DOI for Mongolian Short-toed LarkCalandrella dukhunensis, an overlooked East Asian species
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A new genus for the White-tailed Flycatcher Cyornis concretus (Aves: Muscicapidae)
Part of Zootaxa, p. 599-600, 2021
Multiple species delimitation approaches applied to the avian lark genus Alaudala
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2021
- DOI for Multiple species delimitation approaches applied to the avian lark genus Alaudala
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Taxonomic status of grey-headed Yellow Wagtails breeding in western China
Part of Avian Research, 2021
- DOI for Taxonomic status of grey-headed Yellow Wagtails breeding in western China
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Asymmetric introgression reveals the genetic architecture of a plumage trait
Part of Nature Communications, 2021
- DOI for Asymmetric introgression reveals the genetic architecture of a plumage trait
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Part of Journal of Ornithology, p. 297-312, 2020
A comprehensive phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the waxbills (Aves: Estrildidae)
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2020
- DOI for A comprehensive phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the waxbills (Aves: Estrildidae)
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Taxonomy of cryptic species in theCyornis rubeculoidescomplex in the Indian subcontinent
Part of Ibis, p. 924-935, 2020
Part of Journal of Biogeography, p. 1612-1625, 2020
Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 427-439, 2020
- DOI for Densely sampled phylogenetic analyses of the Lesser Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) - Sand Lark (A. raytal) species complex (Aves, Passeriformes) reveal cryptic diversity
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Part of Journal of Biogeography, p. 1585-1598, 2020
Part of Ibis, p. 936-967, 2020
Taxonomic revision of the Long-tailed RosefinchCarpodacus sibiricuscomplex
Part of Journal of Ornithology, p. 1061-1070, 2020
Part of Diversity, 2020
- DOI for Molecular Species Delimitation of Larks (Aves: Alaudidae), and Integrative Taxonomy of the Genus Calandrella, with the Description of a Range-Restricted African Relic Taxon
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Near-complete phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the world's babblers (Aves: Passeriformes)
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 346-356, 2019
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 219-227, 2019
Earth history and the passerine superradiation
Part of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, p. 7916-7925, 2019
- DOI for Earth history and the passerine superradiation
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Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 571-588, 2019
Part of Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, p. 725-741, 2019
Part of Avian Research, 2019
- DOI for Elevational patterns of bird species richness on the eastern slope of Mt. Gongga, Sichuan Province, China
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"Ghost Introgression" As a Cause of Deep Mitochondrial Divergence in a Bird Species Complex
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 2375-2386, 2019
Part of Journal of Avian Biology, 2018
Complete species-level phylogeny of the leaf warbler (Aves: Phylloscopidae) radiation
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 141-152, 2018
Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 428-440, 2018
Part of Avian Research, 2018
- DOI for Taxonomy of the White-browed Shortwing (Brachypteryx montana) complex on mainland Asia and Taiwan: an integrative approach supports recognition of three instead of one species
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Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 367-375, 2018
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 183-195, 2018
Part of Ibis, p. 699-702, 2017
Part of Ibis, p. 204-216, 2017
Genomic differentiation and patterns of gene flow between two long-tailed tit species (Aegithalos)
Part of Molecular Ecology, p. 6654-6665, 2017
The evolutionary origin of variation in song length and frequency in the avian family Cettiidae
Part of Journal of Avian Biology, p. 1295-1300, 2017
Phylogenetic position of the Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
Part of Journal of Ornithology = Journal fur Ornithologie, p. 629-630, 2017
Part of Ecology and Evolution, p. 6346-6357, 2017
- DOI for Explosive radiation and spatial expansion across the cold environments of the Old World in an avian family
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Part of Journal of Biogeography, p. 2099-2112, 2016
Part of Journal of Avian Biology, p. 899-910, 2016
Phylogenetic position of the Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
Part of Journal of Ornithology = Journal fur Ornithologie, p. 913-918, 2016
Niltavinae, a new taxon of Old World flycatchers (Aves: Muscicapidae)
Part of Zootaxa, p. 428-429, 2016
- DOI for Niltavinae, a new taxon of Old World flycatchers (Aves: Muscicapidae)
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Part of Journal of Ornithology = Journal fur Ornithologie, p. 1017-1027, 2016
Part of Journal of Avian Biology, p. 263-274, 2016
Part of Journal of Ornithology = Journal fur Ornithologie, p. 1017-1027, 2016
Part of Avian Research, 2016
- DOI for Integrative taxonomy of the Plain-backed Thrush (Zoothera mollissima) complex (Aves, Turdidae) reveals cryptic species, including a new species
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Part of Journal of Avian Biology, p. 263-274, 2016
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 233-245, 2016
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 30-44, 2016
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 56-61, 2016
Dramatic niche shifts and morphological change in two insular bird species
Part of Royal Society Open Science, 2015
- DOI for Dramatic niche shifts and morphological change in two insular bird species
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Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds
Part of Science, p. 1320-1331, 2014
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 562-572, 2012
The Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis - three anciently separated cryptic species revealed
Part of Ibis, p. 395-410, 2011
Evolution of ultraviolet vision in the largest avian radiation: the passerines
Part of BMC Evolutionary Biology, p. 313, 2011
- DOI for Evolution of ultraviolet vision in the largest avian radiation: the passerines
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Evolution of ultraviolet vision in shorebirds (Charadriiformes)
Part of Biology Letters, p. 370-374, 2010
Evolution of ultraviolet vision in shorebirds (Charadriiformes)
Part of Biology Letters, p. 370-374, 2010
Old divergences in a boreal bird supports long-term survival through the Ice Ages
Part of BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2010
- DOI for Old divergences in a boreal bird supports long-term survival through the Ice Ages
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Part of Systematic Biology, p. 257-268, 2008
Phylogeny and classification of the Old World Emberizini (Aves, Passeriformes)
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 960-973, 2008
Part of Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, p. 291-307, 2008
Morphological, vocal and genetic divergence in the Cettia acanthizoides complex (Aves : Cettiidae)
Part of Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, p. 437-452, 2007
Part of Evolution, p. 324-333, 2007
Phylogeography of Indonesian and Sino-Himalayan region bush warblers (Cettia, Aves)
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 556-565, 2006
Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 381-397, 2006
Part of Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, p. 261-276, 2005
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 261-276, 2005
Part of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, p. 261-276, 2005
Non-monophyly of the avian genus Seicercus (Aves: Sylviidae) revealed by mitochondrial DNA
Part of Zoologica Scripta, p. 501-510, 2004
Cryptic species in the genus Phylloscopus (Old World leaf warblers)
Part of Ibis, p. 233-247, 2001
Golden-spectacled Warbler systematics
Part of Ibis, p. 495-500, 2000
Part of Ibis, p. 545-568, 1999