# Topics and Trends in Most Cited Avian ecology and behavior Papers, Class of 2026

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## What topics and trends defined most-cited Avian ecology and behavior research in the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 in avian ecology is dominated by research on migration phenology, stopover site conservation, and the devastating impacts of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). A notable shift from 2025 includes increased focus on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and evaluating agri-environment schemes to mitigate agricultural intensification.

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Field | Avian ecology and behavior |
| Cohort label | Class of 2026 (2024 publications) |
| Papers analyzed | 6,242 |
| Papers ranked | 20 |
| Top topics in ranked papers | Migration phenology, HPAI, stopover sites, agri-environment schemes |
| Publication window | Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Eligibility | Research articles; reviews excluded |
| Citation window | 18 months post-publication |
| 18m citation range | 17–182 |
| Data source | OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026 |
| License | CC BY 4.0 |

## Rankings

| Rank | Title | Authors | Corresponding authors | Affiliation | Journal | 18m citations | DOI |
| ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| 1 | Moult terminology: envisioning an evolutionary approach | Peter Pyle, Steve N. G. Howell, Danny I. Rogers, Chris Corben | Peter Pyle | The Institute for Bird Populations Petaluma CA USA, United States | Journal of Avian Biology | 182 | 10.1111/jav.03169 |
| 2 | The Social Costs of Keystone Species Collapse: Evidence from the Decline of Vultures in India | Eyal Frank, Anant Sudarshan | Eyal Frank | University of Chicago, United States | American Economic Review | 60 | 10.1257/aer.20230016 |
| 3 | Highly pathogenic avian influenza causes mass mortality in Sandwich Tern<i>Thalasseus sandvicensis</i>breeding colonies across north-western Europe | Ulrich Knief, Thomas Bregnballe, Ibrahim Alfarwi, Mónika Z. Ballmann, A. Brenninkmeijer, Szymon Bzoma, Antoine Chabrolle, Jannis Dimmlich, Elias Engel, Ruben Fijn, Kim Fischer, Bernd Hälterlein, Matthias Haupt, Veit Hennig, Christof Herrmann, Ronald in ‘t Veld, Elisabeth Kirchhoff, Mikael Kristersson, Susanne Kühn, Kjell Larsson, Rolf Larsson, Neil Lawton, M.F. Leopold, Sander Lilipaly, Leigh Lock, R. Marty, Hans Matheve, Włodzimierz Meissner, Paul D. Morrison, Stephen Newton, Patrik Olofsson, Florian Packmor, Kjeld Tommy Pedersen, Christopher P.F. Redfern, Francesco Scarton, Fred Schenk, Olivier Scher, Lorenzo Serra, A. Tilghman Sibille, Julian A. Smith, Wez Smith, Jacob Sterup, Eric Stienen, Viola Strassner, Roberto G. Valle, R.S.A. van Bemmelen, Jan Veen, Muriel Vervaeke, Ewan Weston, Monika Wojcieszek, Wouter Courtens | Ulrich Knief | University of Freiburg, Germany | Bird Conservation International | 38 | 10.1017/s0959270923000400 |
| 4 | Catastrophic and persistent loss of common murres after a marine heatwave | Heather M Renner, John F Piatt, Martin Renner, Brie A Drummond, Jared S Laufenberg, Julia K Parrish | Heather M. Renner | Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, United States | Science | 35 | 10.1126/science.adq4330 |
| 5 | Wetland habitats supporting waterbird diversity: Conservation perspective on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship | Jie Qiu, Yixin Zhang, Jianwu Ma | Yixin Zhang | Soochow University, China | Journal of Environmental Management | 34 | 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120663 |
| 6 | Extracting Diurnal Activity Patterns of Birds in Communal Roosts From Polarimetric Weather Radar Data | Zhuoran Sun, Cheng Hu, Kai Cui, Rui Wang, Mingming Ding, Zujing Yan, Dongli Wu | Zhuoran Sun | Beijing Institute of Technology, China | IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing | 29 | 10.1109/tgrs.2024.3513294 |
| 7 | Learning shapes the development of migratory behavior | Ellen O Aikens, Elham Nourani, Wolfgang Fiedler, Martin Wikelski, Andrea Flack | Ellen O. Aikens, Andrea Flack | University of Wyoming, United States | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | 29 | 10.1073/pnas.2306389121 |
| 8 | Blaming the wind? The impact of wind turbine on bird biodiversity | Lina Meng, Pengfei Liu, Yinggang Zhou, Yingdan Mei | Pengfei Liu | Xiamen University, China | Journal of Development Economics | 29 | 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103402 |
| 9 | Advances in breeding phenology outpace latitudinal and elevational shifts for North American birds tracking temperature | Montague H C Neate-Clegg, Benjamin A Tonelli, Morgan W Tingley | Montague H. C. Neate‐Clegg, Morgan W. Tingley | University of California, Los Angeles, United States | Nature Ecology & Evolution | 28 | 10.1038/s41559-024-02536-z |
| 10 | Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale | Juan Serratosa, Steffen Oppel, Shay Rotics, Andrea Santangeli, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Luis Santiago Cano, José Luis Tellerı́a, Ryno Kemp, Aaron Nicholas, Aigars Kalvāns, Aitor Galarza, Aldina M. A. Franco, Alessandro Andreotti, Alexander N. G. Kirschel, Alex Ngari, Álvaro Soutullo, Ana Bermejo, André Botha, Andrea Ferri, Angelos Evangelidis, Anna Cenerini, Anton Stamenov, Antonio Hernández‐Matías, Arianna Aradis, Atanas Grozdanov, Beneharo Rodríguez, Çaḡan H. Şekercioḡlu, Catuxa Cerecedo-Iglesias, Christina Kassara, Christos Barboutis, Claire Bracebridge, Clara García‐Ripollés, Corinne J. Kendall, Damijan Denac, Dana G. Schabo, David R. Barber, Dimitar Popov, Dobromir Dobrev, Egidio Mallìa, Elena Kmetova–Biro, Ernesto Álvarez, Evan R. Buechley, Evgeny A. Bragin, Fabrizio Cordischi, Fadzai M. Zengeya, Flavio Monti, François Mougeot, Gareth Tate, Georgi Stoyanov, Giacomo Dell’Omo, Giuseppe Lucia, Gradimir Gradev, Guido Ceccolini, Guilad Friedemann, Hans‐Günther Bauer, Holger Kolberg, Hristo Peshev, Inês Catry, Ingar Jostein Øien, Isidoro Carbonell Alanís, Ivan Literák, Ivan Pokrovsky, Ivar Ojaste, Jan Eivind Østnes, Javier de la Puente, Joan Real, João L. Guilherme, José Carlos González, José María Fernández-García, Juan Antonio Gil, Julien Terraube, Karel Poprach, Karen Aghababyan, Katharina Klein, Keith L. Bildstein, Kerri Wolter, Kjell Janssens, Kyle D. Kittelberger, Lindy J. Thompson, Mansoor H. AlJahdhami, Manuel Bendala Galán, Marcin Tobółka, Mario Posillico, Mario Cipollone, Marion Gschweng, Māris Strazds, Mark Boorman, Mark Zvidzai, Marta Acácio, Marta Romero, Martin Wikelski, Matthias Schmidt, Maurizio Sarà, Michael McGrady, Mindaugas Dagys, Monique MacKenzie, Muna Al Taq, Msafiri P. Mgumba, Munir Z. Virani, Nicolaos I. Kassinis | Juan Serratosa | BirdLife International, United Kingdom | Biological Conservation | 27 | 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110525 |
| 11 | Predicting resilience of migratory birds to environmental change | Simeon Lisovski, Bethany J Hoye, Jesse R Conklin, Phil F Battley, Richard A Fuller, Ken B Gosbell, Marcel Klaassen, Chengfa Benjamin Lee, Nicholas J Murray, Silke Bauer | Simeon Lisovski | Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Germany | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | 22 | 10.1073/pnas.2311146121 |
| 12 | Seabird bycatch in European waters | Iván Ramírez, Daniel J. B. Mitchell, Antonio Vulcano, Yann Rouxel, Dominik Marchowski, André L. F. de Almeida, José Manuel Arcos, Verónica Cortés, Gert J. de Lange, Julius Morkūnas, Nuno Oliveira, Vítor H. Paiva | Iván Ramírez | Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species  Bonn Germany, Germany | Animal Conservation | 22 | 10.1111/acv.12948 |
| 13 | Declines in UK breeding populations of seabird species of conservation concern following the outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in 2021–2022 | Constance J. Tremlett, Ian R. Cleasby, Mark Bolton, Linda J. Wilson | Constance J. Tremlett | RSPB, United Kingdom | Bird Study | 21 | 10.1080/00063657.2024.2438641 |
| 14 | African savanna raptors show evidence of widespread population collapse and a growing dependence on protected areas | Phil Shaw, Darcy Ogada, Leah Dunn, Ralph Buij, Arjun Amar, Rebecca Garbett, Marc Herremans, Munir Z Virani, Corinne J Kendall, Barbara M Croes, Martin Odino, Shiv Kapila, Peter Wairasho, Christian Rutz, André Botha, Umberto Gallo-Orsi, Campbell Murn, Glyn Maude, Simon Thomsett | Phil Shaw, Darcy Ogada | University of St Andrews, United Kingdom | Nature Ecology & Evolution | 20 | 10.1038/s41559-023-02236-0 |
| 15 | Advances in remote sensing of emperor penguins: first multi-year time series documenting trends in the global population | Michelle LaRue, David Iles, Sara Labrousse, Peter Fretwell, David Ortega, Eileen Devane, Isabella Horstmann, Lise Viollat, Rose Foster-Dyer, Céline Le Bohec, Daniel Zitterbart, Aymeric Houstin, Sebastian Richter, Alexander Winterl, Barbara Wienecke, Leo Salas, Monique Nixon, Christophe Barbraud, Gerald Kooyman, Paul Ponganis, David Ainley, Philip Trathan, Stephanie Jenouvrier | Michelle LaRue | University of Minnesota, United States | Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences | 19 | 10.1098/rspb.2023.2067 |
| 16 | Bill Length of Non‐breeding Shorebirds Influences the Water Depth Preferences for Foraging in the West Coast of India | K M Aarif, Jan Zouhar, Zuzana Musilova, Petr Musil, Aymen Nefla, Sabir Bin Muzaffar, K A Rubeena | K. M. Aarif, Sabir Bin Muzaffar | Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic | Ecology and Evolution | 19 | 10.1002/ece3.70396 |
| 17 | Decoupling of bird migration from the changing phenology of spring green-up | Ellen P Robertson, Frank A La Sorte, Jonathan D Mays, Paul J Taillie, Orin J Robinson, Robert J Ansley, Timothy J O'Connell, Craig A Davis, Scott R Loss | Ellen P. Robertson | Oklahoma State University, United States | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | 18 | 10.1073/pnas.2308433121 |
| 18 | The respiratory system influences flight mechanics in soaring birds | Emma R Schachner, Andrew J Moore, Aracely Martinez, Raul E Diaz, M Scott Echols, Jessie Atterholt, Roger W P Kissane, Brandon P Hedrick, Karl T Bates | Emma R. Schachner | University of Florida, United States | Nature | 18 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07485-y |
| 19 | Accelerated farmland bird population declines in European countries after their recent EU accession | Jiří Reif, Anna Gamero, Adriana Hološková, Ainars Aunins, Tomasz Chodkiewicz, Iordan Hristov, Petras Kurlavičius, Meelis Leivits, Tibor Szép, Petr Voříšek | Jiří Reif | Charles University, Czech Republic | The Science of The Total Environment | 17 | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174281 |
| 20 | Extreme elevational migration spurred cryptic speciation in giant hummingbirds | Jessie L Williamson, Ethan F Gyllenhaal, Selina M Bauernfeind, Emil Bautista, Matthew J Baumann, Chauncey R Gadek, Peter P Marra, Natalia Ricote, Thomas Valqui, Francisco Bozinovic, Nadia D Singh, Christopher C Witt | Jessie L. Williamson, Christopher C. Witt | University of New Mexico, United States | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | 17 | 10.1073/pnas.2313599121 |

## Topic trends

### What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 for avian ecology and behavior is defined by a strong focus on the impact of global environmental changes on bird populations, particularly concerning migration patterns and emerging diseases. A dominant theme is the study of migration, encompassing 'Migration phenology', 'Stopover sites', 'spring migration', and the 'East Asian-Australasian Flyway'. Researchers are deeply investigating how birds adjust their migratory timing and routes in response to shifting environmental conditions, often analyzing 'Phenological mismatch' where birds arrive at breeding or stopover grounds out of sync with peak food availability.

Another major defining topic is 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)', reflecting the urgent ecological and conservation concerns surrounding the recent global outbreaks and their devastating impacts on wild bird populations, such as 'shorebirds' and seabirds like 'Uria aalge' (Common Murre).

Furthermore, conservation strategies in human-altered landscapes are prominent, highlighted by terms like 'agri-environment schemes' and 'Agricultural intensification'. These indicate a continued emphasis on understanding how birds, including specific species like 'Ciconia ciconia' (White Stork) and the endangered 'African penguin', navigate and survive in ecosystems increasingly modified by agricultural practices and climate change.

*Leading research themes*

### How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Between the Class of 2025 and the Class of 2026, the thematic focus in avian ecology shifted noticeably towards specific conservation challenges and refined studies of migratory behavior. We observe a significant rise in research concerning the 'East Asian-Australasian Flyway' and 'Stopover sites', which both saw massive increases in prominence. This reflects a growing prioritization of critical habitats that are under severe threat from coastal development and climate change, emphasizing the need for targeted conservation along these international corridors.

Similarly, 'Migration phenology' saw a four-fold increase in frequency, indicating that researchers are increasingly prioritizing the study of how shifting seasons are altering avian life cycles. The emergence of terms like 'agri-environment schemes' as a top riser highlights an expanding focus on evaluating practical, policy-driven conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes.

Additionally, the rise of 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)'—doubling in frequency—underscores a rapid, reactive shift in the field to address the acute and unprecedented mortality events in wild bird populations, demonstrating how avian ecology swiftly adapts to emerging, critical threats to global avian biodiversity.

*How topics shifted year over year*

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Avian ecology and behavior Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/avian-ecology-and-behavior/2026. Accessed 2026-07-21.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
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