Call for papers: Special issue on AI and Ornithology
Ostrich – Journal of African Ornithology will be publishing a special issue, focusing on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Ornithology. This special issue aims to showcase innovative research that applies AI to advance our understanding of bird species, conservation challenges, and biodiversity in Africa and beyond.
Key themes include but are not limited to:
- AI applications in avian species distribution modelling
- Automated bird monitoring and acoustic recognition systems
- AI-driven analyses of bird behaviour and migration patterns
- Conservation prioritisation using machine learning
- Ethical considerations of AI in ornithological research
- Opportunities and challenges of using AI in African ecosystems
- Innovative AI methods for field research
This issue will offer a wide range of contributions, including original research, reviews, methods papers, short notes, and opinion and perspective pieces. The special issue is led by Dr. David Ehlers Smith (BirdLife South Africa’s Science and Innovation Programme) and Dr. Yvette Ehlers Smith (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife), and we encourage contributions from researchers actively using AI in their ornithological work across Africa.
Submission details:
Manuscript deadline: September 15, 2025
Articles will be published online upon acceptance and featured in an upcoming print issue.
All submissions will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process.
Journal Information:
Ostrich is Africa's leading ornithological journal, with a rich history of publishing cutting-edge research in African ornithology for over 90 years. It is published by BirdLife South Africa in conjunction with NISC and Taylor & Francis, and holds an impact factor of 1.7, with CiteScore 2.3.
For detailed author guidelines, submission instructions, and more information about Ostrich, visit our journal page here:
Submit your manuscript through the Taylor & Francis submission portal.
Enquiries: david.ehlers.smith@birdlife.org.za