Faculty

David Toews

Associate Professor of Biology
Huck Co-Hire with Eberly College of Science

619 Mueller
University Park, PA

Email dut374@psu.edu
Phone 814-863-0848
Pronouns He/Him

Areas of Expertise

Warbler Keyphrases
Genetics Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Genomics Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Hybrid Zone Keyphrases
Genetics Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Setophaga Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Speciation Keyphrases
Hybrid Zone Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Signals of corresponding genetic diversity loss in four warbler species exhibiting regional or range-wide declines
Madelyn J. Ore, Bronwyn G. Butcher, Michael E. Akresh, Jeremy J. Kirchman, Joel Ralston, Patrick J. Ruhl, David P.L. Toews, Irby J. Lovette, Jennifer Walsh, Dec 2026, In: BMC Biology
Date: Dec 2026

Unexpected migration patterns in a high-latitude breeding songbird
Stephanie J. Szarmach, Johanna K. Beam, Mads Moore, Benjamin M. Van Doren, Alan Brelsford, David P.L. Toews, Dec 2026, In: Movement Ecology
Date: Dec 2026

Syntopic diet divergence inferred from metabarcoding in a pair of parulid warblers
David P.L. Toews, Marcella D. Baiz, Andrea Benavides C, Andrew R. Deans, Lan Nhi Phung, Stephanie J. Szarmach, Andrew W. Wood, Jan 1 2026, In: Auk
Date: Jan 1 2026

Erratum
Marcella D. Baiz, Andrew W. Wood, Alan Brelsford, Irby J. Lovette, David P.L. Toews, 2026, In: Current biology : CB
Date: 2026

Genomic divergence, demographic histories, and male territorial response reveal asymmetric reproductive barriers in allopatric eastern versus western Nashville warbler subspecies (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)
Lan Nhi Phung, Marcella D. Baiz, Andrew W. Wood, Madison Moore, David P.L. Toews, Jan 1 2026, In: Evolution
Date: Jan 1 2026

Reassessing niche partitioning in MacArthur's warblers
Eliot T. Miller, Andrew W. Wood, Marcella Baiz, Andreanna J. Welch, Robert C. Fleischer, Adrienne S. Dale, David P.L. Toews, Apr 16 2025, In: Biology Letters
Date: Apr 16 2025

A colorful legacy of hybridization in wood-warblers includes frequent sharing of carotenoid genes among species and genera
Kevin F.P. Bennett, Kevin F.P. Bennett, Andrew W. Wood, Marcella D. Baiz, Lan Nhi Phung, Irby J. Lovette, David P.L. Toews, Jan 1 2025, In: PLoS biology
Date: Jan 1 2025

Genetic confirmation of an “uncommon mourningthroat” (Geothlypis philadelphia × G. trichas)
Kevin F.P. Bennett, Kurt H. Gielow, Alexa N. Conner, David P.L. Toews, 2025, In: Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Date: 2025

Speciation and Adaptation in Birds
David P.L. Toews, Elizabeth S.C. Scordato, 2025, In: Coresource 4
Date: 2025

Recently Delisted Songbird Harbors Extensive Genomic Evidence of Inbreeding, Potentially Complicating Future Recovery
Anna María Calderón, Andrew W. Wood, Zachary A. Szpiech, David P.L. Toews, Dec 2024, In: Evolutionary Applications
Date: Dec 2024

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The biogeography of mitochondrial and nuclear discordance in animals
David P.L. Toews, Alan Brelsford, Aug 2012, In: Molecular ecology
Citations: 1,455

Plumage Genes and Little Else Distinguish the Genomes of Hybridizing Warblers
David P.L. Toews, Scott A. Taylor, Rachel Vallender, Alan Brelsford, Bronwyn G. Butcher, Philipp W. Messer, Irby J. Lovette, Sep 12 2016, In: Current Biology
Citations: 302

The Evolution and Genetics of Carotenoid Processing in Animals
David P.L. Toews, Natalie R. Hofmeister, Scott A. Taylor, Mar 1 2017, In: Trends in Genetics
Citations: 174

Cryptic speciation in a Holarctic passerine revealed by genetic and bioacoustic analyses
David P.L. Toews, Darren E. Irwin, Jun 2008, In: Molecular ecology
Citations: 118

A comparison of genomic islands of differentiation across three young avian species pairs
Darren E. Irwin, Borja Milá, David P.L. Toews, Alan Brelsford, Haley L. Kenyon, Alison N. Porter, Christine Grossen, Kira E. Delmore, Miguel Alcaide, Jessica H. Irwin, Dec 2018, In: Molecular ecology
Citations: 109

Migration, mitochondria, and the yellow-rumped warbler
David P.L. Toews, Milica Mandic, Jeffrey G. Richards, Darren E. Irwin, Jan 2014, In: Evolution
Citations: 109

The Genetics of Seasonal Migration and Plumage Color
Kira E. Delmore, David P.L. Toews, Ryan R. Germain, Gregory L. Owens, Darren E. Irwin, Aug 22 2016, In: Current Biology
Citations: 105

Current methods and future directions in avian diet analysis
Brandon D. Hoenig, Allison M. Snider, Anna M. Forsman, Keith A. Hobson, Steven C. Latta, Eliot T. Miller, Michael J. Polito, Luke L. Powell, Samantha L. Rogers, Thomas W. Sherry, David P.L. Toews, Andreanna J. Welch, Sabrina S. Taylor, Brady A. Porter, Jan 11 2022, In: Auk
Citations: 78

Genomic approaches to understanding population divergence and speciation in birds
David P.L. Toews, Leonardo Campagna, Scott A. Taylor, Christopher N. Balakrishnan, Daniel T. Baldassarre, Petra E. Deane-Coe, Michael G. Harvey, Daniel M. Hooper, Darren E. Irwin, Caroline D. Judy, Nicholas A. Mason, John E. McCormack, Kevin G. McCracken, Carl H. Oliveros, Rebecca J. Safran, Elizabe..., Oct 1 2015, In: Auk
Citations: 75

Selection on a small genomic region underpins differentiation in multiple color traits between two warbler species
Silu Wang, Sievert Rohwer, Devin R. de Zwaan, David P.L. Toews, Irby J. Lovette, Jacqueline Mackenzie, Darren Irwin, Dec 2020, In: Evolution Letters
Citations: 58

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