January 15th, Brian Stokes

Changing Birds in a Changing Texas: How birds respond to human-driven environmental change

Texas is a BIG state facing a number of BIG environmental changes. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and human development are reshaping ecosystems that plants and animals depend on. Birds respond quickly to environmental change, making them important indicators of human impacts. On January 15th, we’ll explore how different species in Texas are adapting, declining, or shifting their ranges, and what those responses might tell us about the future. Understanding these patterns helps us protect the state’s remarkable biodiversity as conditions continue to change.

Brian Stokes is a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin who studies how birds across Texas and North America are responding to a rapidly changing world. He investigates how species adapt or struggle as their habitats warm and shift. Brian uses everything from community science observations on apps like eBird and iNaturalist to genomic tools to understand how birds are coping, from big range changes to tiny DNA-level adjustments. One of his current projects focuses on the Green Jay, a vibrant tropical bird expanding its range northward into Texas.

Lecture Schedule

• 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays
• 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: Guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory (sturdy shoes and water recommended!)
• 8:00 pm: The talk begins!
• 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker

📍 Location: Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703
💡 No RSVP is required – just show up and enjoy!
🅿️ Free parking is available at BFL for all lecture events!
🌦️ While we aim to host all events outdoors, sometimes weather conditions or volunteer capacity may require that we move the event inside the laboratory building.

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