Vermivora photographs in plumage genomic study

Hybrids with different combinations of traits can be used to identify the genomic regions that underlie phenotypic characters important to species identity and recognition. Here we explore links between genomic and plumage variation in Blue-winged Warbler x Golden-winged Warbler hybrids, which have traditionally been categorized into two discrete types. \"Lawrence’s Warbler\" hybrids are very yellow overall, similar to Blue-winged Warblers, but exhibit the black throat patch and face mask of Golden-winged Warblers. \"Brewster’s Warbler\" hybrids are similar to Golden-winged Warblers, but lack the black throat patch and face mask and sometimes have yellow on their underparts. Previous studies hypothesized that (1) first generation hybrids are of the Brewster’s type and can be distinguished by the amount of yellow on their underparts, and that (2) the throat patch/mask phenotype is consistent with Mendelian inheritance and controlled by variation in a locus near the Agouti signaling protein g...