Scholars in a particular scientific field should be familiar with its historical roots. Such knowledge will put their own research into a historical perspective, and, in addition, will allow them to assess current strengths and weaknesses in their particular area of research. To keep an exciting field like neuroethology alive and close to fast moving scientific frontiers, it is necessary to constantly adapt and broaden its approaches to newly emerging ideas from other fields, and to quickly incorporate new methodologies. The following article tries to expose some of the roots of neuroethology, and, in addition, will present some evidence as to why the authors think this field needs a broader definition than that formulated in the past. Doing so after the 5th International Congress of Neuroethology in San Diego in August 1998 seems to the authors the most appropriate time.