International Journal of Ethology
We publish rigorous observational, experimental, and theoretical research on the mechanisms, evolution, and ecological significance of animal behavior across all taxa, from invertebrates to vertebrates, in natural and controlled environments.
Behavioral Ecology
Social Behavior
Animal Communication
Neuroethology
Cognitive Ethology
Conservation Behavior
We do NOT consider: Human-only behavioral studies, clinical psychology research, veterinary medicine without behavioral focus, or purely agricultural production studies.
Core Research Domains
Tier 1: Core
Behavioral Ecology & Evolution
- Foraging strategies and optimal decision-making
- Predator-prey interactions and anti-predator behavior
- Habitat selection and spatial ecology
- Life history trade-offs and behavioral adaptations
- Evolutionary game theory and behavioral strategies
- Phenotypic plasticity in behavioral responses
Typical fit:
Experimental study on how food patch distribution affects foraging decisions in wild birds, integrating optimal foraging theory with field observations.
Tier 1: Core
Social Behavior & Organization
- Cooperation, altruism, and kin selection
- Dominance hierarchies and social structure
- Group living dynamics and collective behavior
- Social learning and cultural transmission
- Conflict resolution and reconciliation
- Division of labor in social species
Typical fit:
Observational research on cooperative breeding in meerkats, examining how kinship and ecological factors influence helping behavior and reproductive success.
Tier 1: Core
Communication & Signaling
- Acoustic communication and vocal behavior
- Visual displays and color signaling
- Chemical communication and pheromones
- Multimodal signaling systems
- Signal evolution and honest signaling theory
- Receiver psychology and signal perception
Typical fit:
Experimental analysis of how acoustic signals in frogs vary with environmental noise, testing predictions about signal plasticity and receiver discrimination.
Tier 1: Core
Reproductive Behavior & Mating Systems
- Mate choice and sexual selection
- Courtship displays and mating rituals
- Parental care strategies and investment
- Alternative reproductive tactics
- Sperm competition and cryptic female choice
- Mating system evolution and ecology
Typical fit:
Field study examining female mate choice in fish, correlating male coloration with genetic quality and offspring survival in natural populations.
Secondary Focus Areas
Cognitive Ethology & Learning
- Problem-solving and innovation
- Memory and spatial cognition
- Tool use and manufacture
- Numerical cognition and categorization
- Social cognition and theory of mind
- Learning mechanisms and behavioral flexibility
Neuroethology & Behavioral Physiology
- Neural mechanisms of behavior
- Sensory ecology and perception
- Hormones and behavior interactions
- Circadian rhythms and biological clocks
- Stress physiology and behavioral responses
- Neurogenetics of behavioral traits
Developmental Ethology
- Ontogeny of behavior across life stages
- Early experience and behavioral development
- Imprinting and critical periods
- Play behavior and its functions
- Maternal effects on offspring behavior
- Developmental plasticity and canalization
Conservation Behavior & Applied Ethology
- Behavioral responses to habitat fragmentation
- Human-wildlife conflict and coexistence
- Captive breeding and reintroduction programs
- Animal welfare science and assessment
- Behavioral indicators of environmental change
- Domestication and behavioral syndrome evolution
Emerging & Cross-Disciplinary Areas
Explicit Exclusions
Out of Scope
- Human behavioral studies without comparative animal context Rationale: Pure human psychology, sociology, or anthropology falls outside ethological scope. Consider journals in human behavioral sciences.
- Clinical veterinary medicine or disease pathology without behavioral focus Rationale: Veterinary pathology, surgical techniques, or pharmacology without behavioral implications should be submitted to veterinary medical journals.
- Agricultural production optimization or livestock management without ethological analysis Rationale: Studies focused solely on feed efficiency, growth rates, or production yields (e.g., ruminant nutrition, feather patterns for breeding) without behavioral mechanisms are better suited for agricultural science journals.
- Purely descriptive natural history without hypothesis testing Rationale: While we value natural history, submissions must include hypothesis-driven research or theoretical frameworks. Purely anecdotal observations should be directed to natural history publications.
- Molecular biology or genetics studies without behavioral phenotype linkage Rationale: Gene expression or genomic studies must explicitly connect to behavioral traits or mechanisms. Pure molecular work belongs in genetics journals.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Priority 1: Fast-Track
High-Impact Research
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
- Methods & Techniques Papers
- Registered Reports (Stage 1 & 2)
Priority 2: Standard
Focused Contributions
- Short Communications
- Data Notes & Replication Studies
- Perspectives & Commentaries
- Technical Notes
Rarely Considered
Limited Acceptance
- Single-Species Case Reports
- Opinion Pieces (by invitation)
- Book Reviews (by invitation)
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- ARRIVE 2.0 for animal research
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- STROBE for observational studies
- Pre-registration encouraged (OSF, AsPredicted)
- Statistical power analysis required
- Effect sizes and confidence intervals mandatory
Data & Ethics Policies
- Open data deposition required (Dryad, Zenodo, OSF)
- Code and analysis scripts must be shared
- IACUC or equivalent ethics approval mandatory
- Field research permits documentation required
- Conflict of interest disclosure required
- Preprint posting encouraged (bioRxiv, EcoEvoRxiv)
Methodological Rigor
- Sample size justification required
- Blinding procedures when applicable
- Replication across individuals/populations valued
- Control conditions clearly defined
- Observer reliability metrics reported
- Null results welcomed with adequate power
Reproducibility Standards
- Detailed methods for replication
- Equipment specifications and settings
- Software versions and parameters
- Raw data availability statement
- Video/audio supplementary materials encouraged
- Protocols.io links for complex procedures
Decision Metrics & Timeline
21 days
First Decision
28%
Acceptance Rate
45 days
Time to Publication
Open
Access Model
Ready to Submit Your Research?
If your work aligns with our core domains and meets our methodological standards, we invite you to submit. For scope inquiries, contact our editorial team before submission.
Contact Editorial Office
