Terry Chesser

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Biological Survey Unit – Birds

National Museum of Natural History

P. O. Box 37012

Washington, DC 20013-7012

Fax:   202-357-1932

Email:   TChesser@usgs.gov  

Research Zoologist and Curator of Birds

Education/Training: 

B.A., Georgia State University, 1982, Political Science

Ph.D., Louisiana State University, 1995, Zoology

Dissertation: Biogeographic, ecological, and evolutionary aspects of South American austral migration, with special reference to the family Tyrannidae (tyrant-flycatchers)

Systematics, evolution, and biogeography of South American birds, especially suboscines

Systematics and biogeography of North American and Australasian birds
South American austral migration and movement patterns of birds generally

Outstanding Dissertation in Science and Engineering, Louisiana State University, 1995
AOU Council Award for Outstanding Student Paper, North American Ornithological Congress, 1994

Active Projects: 

Systematics, seasonal distribution, and dietary and physiological ecology of Cinclodes ovenbirds
Systematics, evolution, and species diversity of Chaetura swifts
Phylogeography, species diversity, and conservation of the antpitta Grallaria rufula
Speciation and species identification in the white-headed gull complex
Systematics, evolution, and biogeography of the Furnariidae (ovenbirds)
Phylogeography and speciation of Myrmotherula antwrens in Amazonia
Phylogeography of New World frigatebirds, boobies, and pelagic terns
Seasonal distribution and biogeography of South American austral migrant flycatchers

Publications/Products:

Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2011. Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 128(3):600-613.  JSTOR or BioOne

Derryberry, E. P., S. Claramunt, G. Derryberry, R. T. Chesser, J. Cracraft, A. Aleixo, J. Pérez-Emán, J. V. Remsen Jr., and R. T. Brumfield. 2011. Lineage diversification and morphological evolution in a large-scale continental radiation: the neotropical ovenbirds and woodcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Evolution online June 3 abstract

Hailer, F., E. A. Schreiber, J. M. Miller, I. I. Levin, P. G. Parker, R. T. Chesser, and R. C. Fleischer. 2011. Long-term isolation of a highly mobile seabird on the Galapagos. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278(1707):817-825. abstract

Yeung, C. K. L., P.-W. Tsai, R. T. Chesser, R.-C. Lin, C.-T. Yao, X.-H. Tian, and S.-H. Li. 2011. Testing founder effect speciation: Divergence population genetics of the Spoonbills Platalea regia and Pl. minor (Threskiornithidae, Aves). Molecular Biology and Evolution 28(1):473-482. abstract

Cadena, C. D., N. Gutierrez-Pinto, N. Dávila, and R. T. Chesser. 2010. No population genetic structure in a widespread aquatic songbird from the Neotropics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58(3):540-545. abstract

Chesser, R. T., C. K. L. Yeung, C. T. Yao, X. H. Tian, and S. H. Li. 2010. Molecular phylogeny of the spoonbills (Aves: Threskiornithidae) based on mitochondrial DNA. Zootaxa No. 2603:53-60. abstract

Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2010. Fifty-first supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 127(3):726-744. BioOne or JSTOR

Claramunt, S., E. P. Derryberry, R. T. Chesser, A. Aleixo, and R. T. Brumfield. 2010. Polyphyly of Campylorhamphus, and description of a new genus for C. pucherani (Dendrocolaptinae). Auk 127(2):430-439. BioOne or JSTOR

Derryberry, E., S. Claramunt, K. E. O'Quin, A. Aleixo, R. T. Chesser, J. V. Remsen, Jr., and R. T. Brumfield. 2010. Pseudasthenes, a new genus of ovenbird (Aves: Passeriformes: Furnariidae). Zootaxa No. 2416:61-68. abstract

Derryberry, E., S. Claramunt, R. T. Chesser, A. Aleixo, J. Cracraft, R. G. Moyle, and R. T. Brumfield. 2010. Certhiasomus, a new genus of woodcreeper (Aves: Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae). Zootaxa No. 2416:44-50. abstract

Guay P-.J., R. T. Chesser, R. A. Mulder, A. D. Afton, D. C. Paton and K. G. McCracken. 2010. East-west genetic differentiation in Musk Ducks (Biziura lobata) of Australia suggests late Pleistocene divergence at the Nullarbor Plain. Conservation Genetics 11(6):2105-2120. abstract

Chesser, R. T. and Susanibar. D. 2009. First record of Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata from western Peru. Cotinga 31:137-138.

Chesser, R. T., S. Claramunt, E. Derryberry, and R. T. Brumfield. 2009. Geocerthia, a new genus of terrestrial ovenbird (Aves: Passeriformes: Furnariidae). Zootaxa 2213:64-68. abstract

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

Chesser, R. T. 2009. [book review] Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds -- Les Christidis and Walter E. Boles. Collingwood, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 2008. Systematic Biology 58(6):659-661. abstract

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

Joseph, L., G. J. Adcock, C. Linde, K. E. Omland, R. Heinsohn, R. T. Chesser, and D. Roshier. 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. abstract

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

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

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

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

Chesser, R. T., F. K. Barker, and R. T. Brumfield. 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. abstract

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

Clayton, M., J. C. Wombey, I. J. Mason, R. T. Chesser, and A. Wells. 2006. CSIRO List of Australian Vertebrates: A reference with conservation status. 2nd edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria. vi, 162 p

Joseph, L., T. Wilke, J. Ten Have, and R. T. Chesser. 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. abstract

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

Chesser, R. T. 2005. Seasonal distribution and ecology of South American austral migrant flycatchers. Pages 168-181 in R. Greenberg and P. P. Marra, editors. Birds of Two Worlds: the ecology and evolution of migration. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. xviii, 466 pp.

Chesser, R. T.  2004.  Molecular systematics of New World suboscine birds.  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 32(1):11-24. abstract

Chesser, R. T. 2004. Systematics, evolution, and biogeography of the South American ovenbird genus Cinclodes. Auk 121(3):752-766. BioOne or JSTOR

Day, M. F. C, H. Hewson, M. Fagg, J. Doran, J. Turnbull, J. Ilic, S. Jeffrey, P. Last, A. Graham, T. Chesser, and N. Bougher. 2004. The biological collections in CSIRO: a national heritage? Historical Records of Australian Science 15(1):1-19. PDF

Aplin, K. P., T. Chesser, and J. ten Have. 2003. Evolutionary biology of the genus Rattus: profile of an archetypal rodent pest. Pages 487-498 in G. R. Singleton, L. A. Hinds, C. J. Krebs, and D. M. Spratt, editors. Rats, mice and people: rodent biology and management. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. ACIAR Monograph no. 96. 564 pp. PDF

Chesser, R. T.  2000.  Evolution in the high Andes: the phylogenetics of Muscisaxicola ground-tyrants.  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 15(3):369-380. abstract

Chesser, R.T. 1999. Molecular systematics of the rhinocryptid genus Pteroptochos. Condor 101(2):439-446. PDF

Chesser, R. T.  1998.  Further perspectives on the breeding distribution of migratory birds: South American austral migrant flycatchers.  Journal of Animal Ecology 67(1):69-77. PDF open access

Chesser, R.T. and D.J. Levey. 1998. Austral migrants and the evolution of migration in new world birds: Diet, habitat, and migration revisited. American Naturalist 152(2):311-319. abstract

Stouffer, P. and R. T. Chesser. 1998. Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus). Birds of North America No. 358. 20 pp. abstract

Chesser, R. T. 1997. Patterns of seasonal and geographic distribution of austral migrant flycatchers in Bolivia. Pages 171-204 In J.V. Remsen, Jr., editor. Studies in Neotropical ornithology honoring Ted Parker, American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C, 1997. Ornithological monographs no. 48. xiv, 918 pp. link, click no. 48, free PDF is 61 MB

Chesser, R. T. 1996. The juvenal plumage of Muscisaxicola albifrons. Ornitologia Neotropical 7:185-186. PDF

Chesser, R. T. 1995. Comparative diets of obligate ant-following birds at a site in northern Bolivia. Biotropica 27: 382-390. abstract

Chesser, R. T. 1995. [book review] Ecology and conservation of Palaearctic-African migrants --Humphrey Q. P. Crick and Peter J. Jones, eds. Ibis 134: Supplement 1. Auk 112(1): 269-270. JSTOR

Chesser, R. T. 1994. Migration in South America: an overview of the austral system. Bird Conservation International 4(2-3): 91-107. abstract

Chesser, R. T. and R. M. Zink.  1994.  Modes of speciation in birds: a test of Lynch’s method.  Evolution 48(2):490-497. abstract

Chesser R.T. and M. Marin. 1994. Seasonal distribution and natural-history of the Patagonian Tyrant (Colorhamphus parvirostris). Wilson Bulletin 106(4):649-667. PDF

Kratter, A.W., T.S. Sillett, R.T. Chesser, J.P. O’Neill, T.A. Parker, III, and A. Castillo. 1993. Avifauna of a Chaco locality in Bolivia. Wilson Bulletin 105(1):114-141. PDF

Chesser, R.T. and S.J. Hackett. 1992. Mammalian diversity in South America. Science 256(5063):1502-1504. abstract

Kratter, A. W., M. D. Careño, R. T. Chesser, J. P. O’Neill, and T. S. Sillett. 1992. Notes on bird distribution in northeastern Santa Cruz, Bolivia III, with two species new to Bolivia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 112:143-150.

Chesser, R. T., editor. 1988. A birder’s guide to Georgia. Georgia Ornithological Society, Cartersville, GA. 3rd edition. Occasional Publications of the Georgia Ornithological Society No.11. 76 pp.