Journal of Field Ornithology

Journal of Field Ornithology
Title	Journal of Field Ornithology
Discipline	Ornithology
Abbreviation	J. Field Orn.
Publisher	Association of Field Ornithologists
Country	United States
Frequency	Quarterly
History	1930–present

Contents

Journal of Field Ornithology is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal specializing in avian field studies, natural history observations, and methodological developments in ornithological research. It serves as a venue for field-based investigations by researchers affiliated with institutions such as Cornell University, Smithsonian Institution, University of Washington, University of California, Berkeley, and University of British Columbia. The journal attracts submissions from contributors connected to organizations including the American Ornithological Society, BirdLife International, National Audubon Society, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and Canadian Wildlife Service.

History

The journal traces its origins to early 20th-century naturalist movements exemplified by figures associated with American Museum of Natural History, Field Museum of Natural History, British Museum (Natural History), and museums connected to explorers like John James Audubon and Alexander Wilson. Institutional supporters over decades have included Association of Field Ornithologists, Cooper Ornithological Society, Wilson Ornithological Society, and university departments such as Yale University and University of Florida. Editorial stewardship has featured editors with links to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and scientists who participated in projects tied to North American Breeding Bird Survey, Partners in Flight, and Map of Life initiatives. The journal's development paralleled major conservation milestones like the passage of Migratory Bird Treaty Act and collaborations with programs influenced by Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold.

The journal emphasizes field-based studies covering avian migration patterns tracked via technologies from geolocator deployments to radio telemetry and satellite telemetry used by teams at University of Oxford, University of Cape Town, University of São Paulo, and University of Tokyo. Topics include breeding biology documented in habitats studied by researchers from Yellowstone National Park, Everglades National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Denali National Park and Preserve; behavioral ecology with comparative work referencing scientists affiliated with Princeton University, Harvard University, Duke University, and University of California, Davis; and conservation-oriented monitoring tied to programs like Partners in Flight, BirdLife International, Ramsar Convention, and Convention on Biological Diversity. Methodological contributions often cite techniques developed at Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Monash University, and University of Groningen.

Published by the Association of Field Ornithologists, the journal issues quarterly volumes overseen by publishing partners and distribution channels common to journals hosted by societies such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Wiley-Blackwell, and Elsevier for similar society journals. Libraries at institutions including Library of Congress, Harvard University, University of Michigan, and British Library hold subscriptions and archive holdings. Access policies have evolved alongside initiatives like Open Access advocacy from groups such as SPARC and funder mandates influenced by National Science Foundation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, European Research Council, and Wellcome Trust, prompting hybrid access models and author-friendly licensing comparable to options offered by PLOS and eLife.

The editorial board comprises editors and associate editors drawn from universities and museums including Cornell University, University of Oxford, University of Cape Town, University of Queensland, and University of Copenhagen. Peer review follows standards aligned with editorial policies practiced by the Committee on Publication Ethics and peer-review norms established through collaborations with societies such as American Ornithological Society and Ecological Society of America. Reviewers frequently include researchers connected to long-term projects like the Christmas Bird Count, North American Breeding Bird Survey, Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS), and international research networks based at Zoological Society of London.

The journal's influence is reflected in citations in works from institutions such as Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Smithsonian Institution, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, and governmental agencies including United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Articles have been incorporated into conservation assessments by IUCN Red List contributors and referenced in policy reports influenced by the Ramsar Convention and climate assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Comparative impact measures align the journal with other specialized titles like Auk (journal), Ibis (journal), Condor (journal), and Journal of Avian Biology.

Noteworthy contributions include field studies on migration that built on methods developed by researchers at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; demographic analyses associated with the North American Breeding Bird Survey; long-term population studies connecting data used by Partners in Flight and IUCN assessments; and behavioral ecology case studies comparable to seminal papers from Princeton University and Harvard University. The journal has published work influential in conservation actions undertaken by National Audubon Society, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and research that has informed habitat management in protected areas such as Yellowstone National Park, Everglades National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park.

Category:Ornithology journals Category:Academic journals published by societies