Related Links

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Education

Ph.D., Louisiana State University. (1995)
B.A., Georgia State University. (1982)

Research Interests

My research focuses on avian systematics, evolution, and biogeography. Current interests include: (1) systematics and evolution of the Furnariidae (ovenbirds) and other suboscine birds; (2) South American biogeography, especially of the Andean and Amazonian regions; (3) biogeography and ecology of South American austral migrants; (4) coevolution of phabine pigeons (Phabini) and their feather lice; (5) systematics and biogeography of the Turnicidae (buttonquail); (6) phylogeography and movement patterns of Australian waterbirds; and (7) systematics and biogeography of a variety of other Australian and Australasian bird and mammal groups.

Selected Publications

Chesser, R.T. 2009. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds, Systematic Biology, 58(6):659-661

Moyle, R.G., Chesser, R.T., Brumfield, R.T., Tello, J.G., Marchese, D.J. and Cracraft, J. 2009. Phylogeny and phylogenetic classification of the antbirds, ovenbirds, woodcreepers, and allies (Aves: Passeriformes: infraorder Furnariides), Cladistics, 25(4):386-405

Chesser, R.T., Banks, R.C., Barker, F.K., Cicero, C., Dunn, J.L., Kratter, A.W., Lovette, I.J., Rasmussen, P.C., Remsen, J.V., Jr., Rising, J.D., Stotz, D.F. and Winker, K. 2009. Fiftieth Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds, Auk, 126(3):705-714

Sanín, C., Cadena, C.D., Maley, J.M., Lijtmaer, D.A., Tubaro, P.L. and Chesser, R.T. 2009. Paraphyly of Cinclodes fuscus (Aves: Passeriformes: Furnariidae): Implications for taxonomy and biogeography, Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 53(2):547-555

Joseph, L., Adcock, G.J., Linde, C., Omland, K.E., Heinsohn, R., Chesser, R.T. and Roshier, D. 2009. A tangled tale of two teal: population history of the grey Anas gracilis and chestnut teal A-castanea of Australia, Journal of Avian Biology, 40(4):430-439

Banks, R.C., Chesser, R.T., Cicero, C., Dunn, J.L., Kratter, A.W., Lovette, I.J., Rasmussen, P.C., Remsen, J.V., Rising, J.D., Stotz, D.F. and Winker, K. 2008. Forty-ninth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union - Check-list of north American birds, Auk, 125(3):756-766

Chesser, R.T. and ten Have, J. 2007. On the phylogenetic position of the scrub-birds (Passeriformes : Menurae : Atrichornithidae) of Australia, Journal of Ornithology, 148(4):471-476

Chesser, R.T., Barker, F.K. and Brumfield, R.T. 2007. Fourfold polyphyly of the genus formerly known as Upucerthia, with notes on the systematics and evolution of the avian subfamily Furnariinae, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 44(3):1320-1332

Chesser, R.T. and Brumfield, R.T. 2007. Tarphonomus, a new genus of ovenbird (Aves: Passeriformes: Furnariidae) from South America, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 120(3):337-339

Banks, R.C., Chesser, R.T., Cicero, C., Dunn, J.L., Kratter, A.W., Lovette, R.J., Rasmussen, P.C., Remsen, J.V., Jr., Rising, J.D. and Stotz, D.F. 2007. Forty-eighth supplement to the American ornithologists' union Check-List of North American Birds, Auk, 124(3):1109-1115

Moyle, R.G., Chesser, R.T., Prum, R.O., Schikler, P. and Cracraft, J. 2006. Phylogeny and evolutionary history of Old World suboscine birds (Aves: Eurylaimides), American Museum Novitates, (3544):1-22

Joseph, L., Wilke, T., Have, J.t. and Chesser, R.T. 2006. Implications of mitochondrial DNA polyphyly in two ecologically undifferentiated but morphologically distinct migratory birds, the masked and white-browed woodswallows Artamus spp. of inland Australia, Journal of Avian Biology, 37(6):625-636

Clayton, M., Wombey, J.C., Mason, I.J., Chesser, R.T. and Wells, A.2006. CSIRO List of Australian Vertebrates: A reference with conservation status (second edition). CSIRO Publishing

Complete List of Chesser's Publications and Downloadable PDFs