Profile
Virginia Abernathy
Biological Sciences
Senior Lecturer
864-656-2328
Long Hall 144 [Office]
Educational Background
PhD, Ecology and Evolution, Australian National University, 2017
MS, Biology, Western Illinois University, 2012
BM, Music Composition, Ohio Northern University, 2009
BS, Biology, Ohio Northern University, 2009
Research Interests
In addition to teaching both undergraduates and Master's students, I study coevolutionary interactions between avian brood parasites (birds that lay eggs in other bird's nests) and their hosts, as well as bird egg coloration and appearance from the bird's point of view. I also enjoy engaging in signature research experiences for undergraduates (Creative Inquiry and independent research), when time allows, and have published papers with undergraduates at Clemson based on these projects. I also have a Service Learning course (BIOL 4950/4951) where previous Behavioral Ecology students that did well in the course can assist current students in the class.
Courses Taught
Undergraduate courses taught: Vertebrate Biology (BIOL 3030), Behavioral Ecology (BIOL 4700, 6700)
Undergraduate CIs: Research Using Museum Collections #1794 (BIOL 4940/4941)
Undergraduate Independent Research (BIOL 4910)
Undergraduate Service Learning for Behavioral Ecology (BIOL 4950/4951)
Online Masters courses taught: Understanding Biological Inquiry (BIOL 8400), Understanding Animal Biology (BIOL 8450)
Selected Publications
Abernathy, V.E., A. Good, A. Blanchard, M. Bongiovanni, E. Bonds, H. Warner, E. Chaknis, G. Pulsifer and F. Huntley (2023). The effects of climate change on the nesting phenology of three shorebird species in the United States. Animals 13:2459.
Nahid, M.I., V.E. Abernathy, W. Liang (2023). Evidence of egg polymorphism in a host of the Klaas's cuckoo. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society blad102.
Abernathy, V.E., E. Bonds, H. Warner and W. Liang (2022). Empirical evidence of coevolution between the channel-billed cuckoo and its host, the pied currawong. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 137:513-522.
Nahid, M.I., F. Fossoy, B.G. Stokee, V. Abernathy, S. Begum, N.E. Langmore, E. Roskaft and P.S. Ranke (2021). No evidence of host-specific egg mimicry in Asian koels. PLoS ONE 16:e0253985.
Abernathy, V.E., L.E. Johnson and N.E. Langmore (2021). An experimental test of defenses against avian brood parasitism in a recent host. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9:651733.
Abernathy, V.E. and W. Liang (2020). Empirical evidence of different egg morphs that match host eggs in the brush cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus). Emu 120:322-332.
Abernathy, V.E., J. Troscianko and N.E. Langmore (2017). Egg mimicry by the pacific koel: mimicry of one host facilitates exploitation of other hosts with similar egg types. Journal of Avian Biology 48:1414-1424.
Abernathy, V.E. and N.E. Langmore (2017). The first stages of coevolution between a brood parasite and its new host: are naïve hosts defenceless? Emu 117:114-129.
Abernathy, V.E. and N.E. Langmore (2017). Rates of coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts, Chapter 2. M. Soler (Ed.). Avian Brood Parasitism: Behaviour, Ecology, Evolution and Coevolution. Springer.
Peer, B.D. and Abernathy, V.E. (2017). Brown-headed Cowbirds, Chapter 5. G.M. Linz, M.L. Avery, and R.A. Dolbeer (Eds.). Ecology and Management of Blackbirds (Icteridae) in the United States. Taylor and Francis Group.
Selected Talks
Abernathy, V. and W. Liang, 2021. Empirical evidence of different egg morphs that match host eggs in the brush cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).
Joint meeting of the American Ornithological Society and Society of Canadian Ornithologists 2021, virtual format
Abernathy, V and W. Liang, 2020. Are host visual systems driving the evolution of cuckoo egg morphology in the UV range?
Clemson University Biological Sciences Department Seminar Series, Clemson, SC
Abernathy, V. and N. Langmore. 2018. The first stages of coevolution between a brood parasite and its new host: are naïve hosts defenceless?
Animal Behaviour Society 2018, Milwaukee, WI
Abernathy, V., J. Troscianko and N. Langmore. 2017 Egg mimicry by the pacific koel: mimicry of one host facilitates exploitation of other hosts with similar egg types.
American Ornithologists’ Society Conference 2017, Lansing, MI
Abernathy, V. 2017. Coevolution in action between a brood parasite and a new host.
Ohio Northern University Department Seminar Speaker, Feb. 6, 2017, Ada, OH
Abernathy, V., L. Johnson and N. Langmore. 2016. Coevolution in action: defences against brood parasitism in a new host of the eastern koel.
The North American Ornithological Conference 2016, Washington, DC
Abernathy, V., L. Johnson and N. Langmore. 2016. Coevolution in action: defences against brood parasitism in a new host of the eastern koel.
The Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour Conference 2016, Katoomba, NSW
Abernathy, V. and N. Langmore. 2015. Coevolution in action: defences against brood parasitism in new and old hosts of the eastern koel.
Behaviour Conference 2015, Cairns, QLD
Abernathy, V. and N. Langmore. 2015. Coevolution in action: defences against brood parasitism in new and old hosts of the eastern koel.
Joint meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union and the Cooper Ornithological Society, Norman, OK
Abernathy, V. and B. Peer. 2011. Mechanisms of egg recognition in brown-headed cowbird hosts: the role of ultraviolet reflectance.
Meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Jacksonville, FL.
Memberships
• American Ornithological Society 2017-2024, student committee 2017
• American Ornithologists’ Union, 2010-2016
• Animal Behaviour Society, 2010-2021
Honors and Awards
Clemson University Creative Inquiry Publication Grant, 2023
Clemson University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund, 2023
