Special Issue "Exotic and Zoo Bird Behaviour and Welfare"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Birds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paul Rose
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter Washington Singer, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
Interests: zoo animal welfare and behaviour; ornithology; behavioural ecology and conservation biology
Dr. Matthew Fiddes
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CJ Hall Veterinary Surgeons, 15 Temple Sheen Road, London SW14 7PY, UK
Interests: exotic pet and zoo specialist; exotics; rabbits; small mammals; birds; reptiles; fish
Mr. Jonathan Beilby
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, UK
Interests: bird populations; bird conservation; aviculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There are around 9000 extant species of birds, each with specific behavioural and ecological adaptations. Many species of birds are common as companion animals and in private aviculture, and across zoological collections globally birds are the most speciose of all taxa currently housed. Birds perform specialised behavioural displays and have time-activity patterns unique to their life history, evolutionary biology, and environmental niche. Knowledge of such behaviour is crucial to inform captive care, evidence best practice management, and inform our understanding of avian welfare. Whilst much work has been produced on domestic poultry, there is a need for species-specific information on captive requirements and tools for the welfare assessment for the myriad of non-domestic, exotic bird species housed in zoos and private collections. This Special Issue seeks to share information on all aspects of behaviour and welfare that relate to exotic bird species housed as pets (e.g., parrots) or in private aviculture (e.g., softbills), as well as those species found in zoological settings (e.g., penguins, pelicans, ratites). Work on domestic species housed within non-traditional settings (i.e., domestic poultry housed in a zoo/children's farm) will also be considered. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather together our current knowledge on exotic bird behaviour and welfare under managed conditions to advance species-specific care.

Dr. Paul Rose
Dr. Matthew Fiddes
Mr. Jonathan Beilby
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Aviculture
  • Evidence-based husbandry
  • Zoo birds
  • Pet birds
  • Bird behavior
  • Bird welfare
  • Welfare assessment
  • Behavioural biology
  • Avian biology
  • Ex situ conservation
  • Population management
  • Population sustainability

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission, see below for planned papers.

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Managing Avian Collections in Zoological Institutions – Gearing towards Behavioral Husbandry and Animal Welfare
Authors: Luis Carlos Neves
Affiliation: Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Abstract: The reason zoos exist has evolved over the years, and with it, so has the way zoos care for the animals they hold. From “stamp collection” taxonomic displays that relied on acquisition and replacement as an operating model, to the modern-day education-focused, collection-based conservation organizations, with ambitious conservation and sustainability targets, much has changed not only in the way people see zoos but also the way zoos see themselves and their role in modern society. While mammals typically get the most attention in zoos, in particular mega-vertebrates such as pachyderms, great apes and large carnivores, the importance of high-level animal care standards and attention to animal welfare has now spread to all other taxa held in zoos, and birds are no exception. So, in recent years, a much-welcomed new interest has developed for the quality of animal care in non-mammalian zoo species. This meant that concepts such as behavioral management, collection sustainability, welfare and quality of life assessment have gone through a taxonomic democratization process, and birds have now gotten equal attention compared to mammals in these very important areas.

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