Bird Conservation International – Evolving with the times
13 January 2023
Last update: 13/01/23 16:34
BCI moves to continuous, online-only publication from January 2023
2022 was a significant year for Bird Conservation International (BCI), which celebrated the 100th anniversary of BirdLife International by releasing ten specially curated collections of papers from its back catalogue. 2023 is set to be another landmark year for the journal, as a new contract between BirdLife International and Cambridge University Press coincides with a move to continuous, online-only publication, benefitting not only authors but also the range of conservation practitioners and decision-makers reliant on their important research.
Launched in 1991, BCI is the official scientific journal of BirdLife International, promoting worldwide research and action for the conservation of birds and their habitats. For over 30 years, the journal has provided stimulating, international and up-to-date coverage of a broad range of topics, using birds to illuminate wider issues of biodiversity, conservation and sustainable resource use. As the importance and awareness of these issues has grown, so too has BCI’s reputation, and the journal now has a record high Impact Factor of 2.693. This means that BCI now ranks 2nd out of 29 leading ‘Ornithology’ journals globally, and 27th out of 65 ‘Biodiversity Conservation’ titles.
The increasing influence of the internet has seen a step change in scientific publishing in recent years. Demand for printed copies of journals has rapidly shrunk; authors wish to see the papers published more quickly; and funders are keen for the research they support to be available more widely. BCI is evolving with the times, and as of January 2023 it is now an online-only journal.
This shift also means that, rather than four issues per year, papers will now be published as soon as they are accepted and finalised. Beyond benefitting authors – who tend to prefer this system as it allows their papers to be published immediately rather than waiting until there is space in an available issue – it also ensures that conservation practitioners and decision-makers can rapidly access the most up-to-date research. BCI has also adopted a new layout with a larger A4 page format that can be read more easily online from a range of devices and also has a more modern and presentable style.
These changes coincide with the signing of a new contract between BirdLife International and Cambridge University Press, who have agreed to continue publishing BCI for the next five years. On behalf of all at BCI, we hope you enjoy this exciting new chapter in BCI’s history as we move into what is undoubtedly a vital decade for conservation.
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