Scientists at the University of Michigan have employed artificial intelligence technology to identify previously unclear patterns in how songbirds and related species evolved over millions of years. Rather than changing gradually over time, the research indicates that major morphological developments happened in concentrated periods of rapid transformation. Several of these evolutionary accelerations aligned with significant shifts in Earth’s climate and environmental conditions.
The research team, led by Jake Berv, examined more than 2,000 passerine bird species and compiled approximately 170,000 individual skeletal measurements to construct an evolutionary timeline spanning roughly 45 million years. They utilized an AI tool called Skelevision, developed in collaboration between researchers at the University of Michigan and New York University, which could accurately measure 12 bones across a bird skeleton. This technology enabled the team to process museum specimens in roughly 45 seconds each, digitizing over 15,000 specimens from museum collections with significantly greater efficiency than traditional methods would allow.
Analysis using a newly developed statistical approach called bifrost revealed particularly accelerated body-shape evolution occurring around 35 million years ago during the Eocene-Oligocene transition, a period characterized by substantial global cooling. The findings also identified clusters of evolutionary slowdowns approximately 15 million years ago, corresponding to another major geological event. The research supports long-standing evolutionary theory predicting that life diversifies through alternating cycles of rapid change and slower development phases.
Additional analysis indicated that geographic location influences evolutionary rates, with bird populations at higher latitudes experiencing faster morphological evolution than species near the equator. This geographic pattern suggests that environmental variability plays a significant role in driving changes in body shape and structure across different species. The results appear in Nature Ecology & Evolution and received primary support from Schmidt Sciences and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, among other scientific funding organizations.
The findings underscore the continuing value of museum collections for scientific research and may provide insights into how contemporary species could adapt to current rapid climate changes occurring globally.
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