Sara E Lipshutz, Assistant Professor  

Sara E Lipshutz

Our research focuses on the evolution of behavior across weird and wonderfully diverse species of birds. This work bridges “muddy boots” experimental fieldwork with a variety of molecular and computational approaches in genetics, genomics, neuroscience, and endocrinology. We have several research foci:  

 

1. Female perspectives in biology. Cultural biases shape our predictions for how and why animals behave the way they do, and female animals have historically been neglected in biological research. We study the evolution of female competition across diverse avian species, ranging from social polyandry to monogamy in shorebirds and songbirds. Critically, hypotheses derived from studying males (i.e. testosterone focus) do not explain interspecific variation in female aggression. We use population genomic and transcriptomic data to evaluate the proximate causes and ultimate consequences of female competition.  

 

2. Global change biology. In the age of the Anthropocene, animals are facing evolutionary unprecedented environmental changes. Sensory pollutants like anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night can alter animal physiology, behavior, and ecology on a rapid timescale. Behavior flexibility and adaptation may lead the way in helping animals respond to novel challenges. We investigate why some individuals and species may be better prepared to face global change.  

Education:
Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2018

Office Phone: (919) 660-7372
Email Address: sara.lipshutz@duke.edu

Additional Web Page: https://saralipshutz.wordpress.com/

Specialties:
Organismal Biology and Behavior
Evolution
Genomics

Areas of Interest:
Animal Behavior
Neuroendocrinology
Evolution

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

  1. Lipshutz, SE; Bentz, AB; Cochran, EB; Krajcir, KJ; Kimball, MG; Lattin, CR, Distinct Networks of Expressed Genes Are Associated With Neophobia in the Hippocampus of Male and Female Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus)., Molecular ecology, vol. 35 no. 1 (January, 2026), pp. e70221 [doi]  [abs].
  2. Macedo, G; Chen, Y; Corbett, EC; Marcondes, RS; Bravo, GA; Biondo, C; Lipshutz, SE, Evaluating the roles of signaling and camouflage in the evolution of iris color in Tyranni passerines., Evolution; international journal of organic evolution (November, 2025), pp. qpaf228 [doi]  [abs].
  3. Houtz, JL; Acosta, KA; Berlow, M; Lipshutz, SE, Cloacal microbial diversity is associated with competitive phenotypes in socially polyandrous jacanas, Ornithology, vol. 142 no. 4 (October, 2025), Oxford University Press (OUP) [doi]  [abs].
  4. Lipshutz, SE; Hibbins, MS; Bentz, AB; Buechlein, AM; Empson, TA; George, EM; Hauber, ME; Rusch, DB; Schelsky, WM; Thomas, QK; Torneo, SJ; Turner, AM; Wolf, SE; Woodruff, MJ; Hahn, MW; Rosvall, KA, Repeated behavioural evolution is associated with convergence of gene expression in cavity-nesting songbirds., Nature ecology & evolution, vol. 9 no. 5 (May, 2025), pp. 845-856 [doi]  [abs].
  5. Luna, LW; Lipshutz, SE, Genetic evidence of female philopatry in a socially polyandrous shorebird., Evolution; international journal of organic evolution (March, 2025), pp. qpaf069 [doi]  [abs].