Journal of Avian Biology

Journal of Avian Biology
Title	Journal of Avian Biology
Discipline	Ornithology
Language	English
Abbreviation	J. Avian Biol.
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Nordic Society Oikos
History	1970–present
Frequency	Bimonthly
Openaccess	Hybrid

Contents

Journal of Avian Biology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering ornithology and studies of bird biology, behavior, ecology, evolution and conservation. Founded to provide a venue for research on avifauna across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and island systems such as the Galápagos Islands and Hawaii. The journal publishes original research, reviews, and methodological papers, attracting contributions from institutions like the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard University, Smithsonian Institution, and the Natural History Museum, London.

History

The journal emerged amid a proliferation of specialized periodicals in the wake of post-war expansion of biological sciences, contemporary with titles such as The Auk, Ibis, The Condor, Journal of Field Ornithology, and Emu. Early editorial leadership drew on scholars affiliated with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Over decades the journal paralleled thematic shifts seen in conferences like the International Ornithological Congress and initiatives from organizations such as BirdLife International, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the European Ornithologists' Union. It adapted through technological changes from typeset print to digital platforms used by JSTOR, Web of Science, and Wiley-Blackwell.

Coverage spans comparative studies involving taxa such as Passeriformes, Accipitridae, Anatidae, Spheniscidae, and Psittaciformes, and ecosystems including Amazon Rainforest, Taiga, Sahara Desert, Great Barrier Reef, and Arctic tundra. The journal features work on life history, migration studies linked to flyways like the East Atlantic Flyway and Pacific Flyway, physiological research referencing metabolism and thermoregulation in species like the Peregrine Falcon, Emperor Penguin, and European Robin. Contributors examine conservation case studies involving Bald Eagle, California Condor, Whooping Crane, Kakapo, Dodo-related extirpation analyses, and management programs from agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The editorial board has included academics from institutions such as University of Copenhagen, University of Stockholm, University of California, Berkeley, University of Toronto, University of São Paulo, University of Cape Town, and Monash University. Manuscripts undergo anonymized peer review drawing reviewers affiliated with societies like the British Ornithologists' Union, American Ornithological Society, Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft, and Société Française d'Ornithologie. The process aligns with guidelines from entities such as the Committee on Publication Ethics and editorial standards practiced by publishers like Elsevier and Springer Nature. Special issues have been guest-edited by researchers from Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, CSIC (Spain), and CNRS laboratories.

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic services including Web of Science, Scopus, BIOSIS Previews, and Zoological Record. It appears in library catalogs across institutions such as the British Library, Library of Congress, National Library of Australia, and databases used by Wiley Online Library subscribers. Citation metrics are tracked by providers like Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier's SciVal.

The journal's influence is reflected in citation of articles in landmark works and reviews published in outlets like Nature, Science, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, and Trends in Ecology & Evolution. Authors publishing in the journal have received awards and recognition from bodies such as the Guggenheim Fellowship, Royal Society, Knights of the Order of the Polar Star (Sweden), and national academies including the Royal Society of London, National Academy of Sciences (US), Academia Europaea, and The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Seminal papers have addressed topics comparable to research on ecological niche theory by authors in the tradition of G. Evelyn Hutchinson and J.B.S. Haldane-inspired quantitative approaches, migratory connectivity methodologies akin to work using stable isotopes, geolocators, and GPS tracking tags. Influential studies cited across climate literature connect to research by scholars associated with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and conservation action informed by programs like Ramsar Convention, Convention on Migratory Species, and Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. Case studies on breeding ecology and life-history trade-offs echo findings from long-term projects at sites like Wytham Woods, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Białowieża Forest, Svalbard, and Isle of May.

The journal operates a hybrid open-access model allowing authors to pay article processing charges for immediate open access, alongside subscription access managed by publishers such as Wiley-Blackwell and aggregators like Taylor & Francis Online and Cambridge University Press platforms. Institutional subscribers include universities like University of Edinburgh, Yale University, Princeton University, Peking University, and research organizations such as the Max Planck Society and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Authors adhere to licensing options consistent with Creative Commons provisions and funder mandates from agencies including the European Research Council, National Science Foundation (US), and Swedish Research Council.

Category:Ornithology journals