Aims & Scope
Research Scope
Avian Ecology & Population Biology
- Population dynamics and demographic modeling
- Species distribution patterns and biogeography
- Habitat selection and microhabitat use
- Community ecology and species interactions
- Food web dynamics and trophic relationships
- Population monitoring and survey methodologies
Long-term population trends of migratory raptors in response to habitat fragmentation, using mark-recapture and telemetry data to model survival and recruitment rates.
Migration & Movement Ecology
- Migration patterns and phenology
- Navigational mechanisms and orientation
- Stopover ecology and refueling strategies
- Tracking technologies (geolocators, GPS, accelerometers)
- Connectivity between breeding and wintering grounds
- Climate effects on migration timing and routes
Accelerometer-based analysis of flight behavior during trans-oceanic migration, revealing energetic costs and stopover site selection in long-distance migrants.
Behavioral Ecology & Communication
- Mating systems and reproductive strategies
- Parental care and life history evolution
- Vocal communication and song learning
- Visual signaling and plumage evolution
- Foraging behavior and optimal decision-making
- Social structure and cooperative breeding
Sexual dimorphism in plumage coloration and its relationship to mate choice, parental investment, and breeding success in a polygynous waterbird species.
Conservation Biology & Biodiversity
- Threatened species recovery programs
- Habitat loss and fragmentation impacts
- Conservation genetics and population viability
- Protected area effectiveness
- Human-wildlife conflict mitigation
- Indicator species and ecosystem health
Conservation genetics of cryptic species complexes, using genomic data to identify evolutionarily significant units and inform management strategies for forest-dependent birds.
Evolutionary Biology & Phylogenetics
Phylogenetic relationships, speciation processes, hybridization dynamics, and adaptive radiation in avian lineages. Genomic approaches to understanding evolutionary history and diversification patterns.
Climate Change Biology
Effects of climate variability on bird populations, phenological shifts, range expansions and contractions, and adaptive responses to environmental change across temporal and spatial scales.
Disease Ecology
Pathogen dynamics in wild bird populations, host-parasite interactions, zoonotic disease transmission, and impacts of emerging infectious diseases on population health and conservation.
Urban Ornithology
Adaptation of bird species to urbanized landscapes, effects of light and noise pollution on behavior and physiology, and ecological processes in human-modified environments.
Ecophysiology & Energetics
Metabolic adaptations, thermoregulation, energetic costs of reproduction and migration, and physiological responses to environmental stressors in wild populations.
Methodological Innovations
Novel survey techniques, remote sensing applications, artificial intelligence for species identification, bioinformatics tools, and statistical approaches advancing ornithological research.
Note: Submissions in these emerging areas undergo additional editorial review to ensure alignment with core ornithological science. Manuscripts must demonstrate clear relevance to wild bird populations and ecological processes.
Genomics & Bioinformatics
Population genomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and computational biology approaches to understanding avian evolution, adaptation, and conservation genetics.
Citizen Science & Big Data
Large-scale monitoring programs, community-based research, data integration from multiple sources, and novel analytical frameworks for continental-scale ornithological questions.
Toxicology & Environmental Contaminants
Effects of pollutants, pesticides, heavy metals, and microplastics on wild bird populations, with emphasis on population-level consequences and ecosystem health indicators.
Acoustic Ecology
Soundscape analysis, bioacoustics monitoring, effects of anthropogenic noise on communication networks, and automated acoustic detection systems for population assessment.
Clinical Veterinary Medicine
Rationale: Individual bird patient care, diagnostic procedures, surgical techniques, and clinical case reports fall outside our ecological and population-level focus. Refer to veterinary journals.
Aviculture & Captive Management
Rationale: Breeding programs for captive birds, husbandry practices, and pet bird care are not within scope. Our focus is wild populations in natural or semi-natural habitats.
Poultry Science & Agriculture
Rationale: Domestic fowl production, agricultural optimization, and commercial breeding programs are outside ornithological science. Refer to agricultural or poultry science journals.
Pure Taxonomy Without Ecological Context
Rationale: Purely descriptive taxonomic revisions without ecological, behavioral, or conservation implications. Taxonomic work must integrate with broader biological questions.
Anecdotal Observations
Rationale: Casual sightings, single observations, or reports lacking systematic data collection, statistical analysis, or broader scientific context are not considered.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track Review (4-6 weeks to first decision)
Standard Review (6-8 weeks to first decision)
Requires Strong Justification
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
ARRIVE for animal studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews, STROBE for observational studies. Adherence required for submission.
Data Availability
Raw data must be deposited in recognized repositories (Dryad, Figshare, Zenodo). Data availability statement mandatory.
Ethics Approval
All research involving live birds requires institutional ethics approval. Permit numbers and approval dates must be stated.
Preprint Policy
Preprints on recognized servers (bioRxiv, EcoEvoRxiv) accepted. Must be declared at submission. Does not affect consideration.
Statistical Rigor: Manuscripts must include appropriate statistical methods, effect sizes, confidence intervals, and power analyses where applicable. P-values alone are insufficient. Consult our statistical guidelines before submission.
Decision Metrics & Publication Timeline
Submission Guidance: Before submitting, ensure your manuscript addresses wild bird populations, includes robust methodology, and aligns with our core domains. Manuscripts outside scope will be desk-rejected within 5 business days. Contact the editorial office with scope questions before submission to avoid delays.
