The history of the Central American avifauna will be addressed using molecular methods and methods of vicariance biogeography. The relatively well known history of southern Central America makes it appropriate for using the vicariance approach to avian biogeographic analysis. Starch-gel electrophoresis of proteins and analyses of nucleic acids (amplification and sequencing of specific regions of the genome) will be used to estimate phylogenetic relationships among Central American endemic taxa and their South American sister taxa. Specific hypotheses concerning the evolution of Central American taxa will be tested by comparing these phylogenies. Levels of genetic differentiation will be used to assess relative ages of splitting events of South and Central American highland and lowland taxa.
