Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Tracking Data for Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) Active
By Alaska Science Center
November 17, 2023
Available here are tracking data for two subspecies of Bar-tailed Godwits. One of the subspecies, Limosa lapponica baueri, nests in Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in New Zealand and eastern Australia whereas L.l.menzbieri nests in Siberia and spends the nonbreeding season in western Australia. This study was the first to describe the year-round movements of these extremely long-distance migrants.
Return to Ecosystems >> Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists collect data from wildlife tracking devices to: determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on various behaviors, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may indicate sites of importance to species and populations. Tracking data from other wildlife species can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VYSWEH
Tracking Maps
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Bar-tailed Godwit Tracking Maps
These webpages contain five different types of browse maps and other visualizations of the tracking data.
- Maps (Animated, Static, Interactive, and Google Earth)
- Summary graphs of the data: where, when, duration
- Shorebirds Tagged Animal Movement Explorer interactive visualization tool
- Note: These maps serve only as a depiction of the geographic content of the specific data provided and may be inappropriate for inferences and interpretation outside the intent of the original study. For example, maps may portray only certain ages, sexes, limited numbers of animals or variable tracking duration and start times that may limit inference for other questions. Users are advised to read the publication(s) and data set metadata associated with these maps to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
Data Packages
Argos Satellite Telemetry Data
These data packages contain the data collected from satellite transmitters attached to free-ranging animals. The packages include both raw and processed location and sensor data. The raw data includes data as originally retrieved from the Argos System. The processed data have been filtered for location plausibility, and sensor data have been decoded into standard measurement units. For most users, the processed data will be preferred.
NOTE: Processed data contains both plausible (DAF_Filter=0) and implausible (DAF_Filter=1) locations as indicated by the column “Location_DAF_filter”. Before using these data, we recommend excluding locations flagged as implausible or apply an alternative filtering method of your choice.
- Processed Data [Metadata] [Data Download]
- Raw Data [Metadata] [Data Download]
- Read Me [PDF]
Suggested Citation
Gill, R.E., Jr., Tibbitts, T.L., Battley, P.F., Warnock, N., and Douglas, D.C., 2023, Tracking data for Bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri and Limosa lapponica menzbieri ) (ver 1.0, November 2023): U.S. Geological Survey data release, doi:10.5066/P9A9BYQW
Shorebird Research
With its vast size and geographic position at the northern end of several migration pathways, Alaska is a critically important site for the world’s shorebirds. Thirty-seven shorebird species regularly breed in Alaska. Most of these species conduct epically long migrations to take advantage of Alaska’s abundant food resources and breeding habitat, making Alaska a global resource for shorebirds...
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwit with a satellite transmitter and tag Z0
Bar-tailed godwit "Z0" instrumented with an implanted Argos satellite transmitter (note dorsally exposed antenna) to facilitate aerodynamics during the species non-stop flights across the Pacific Ocean.
Bar-tailed godwit "Z0" instrumented with an implanted Argos satellite transmitter (note dorsally exposed antenna) to facilitate aerodynamics during the species non-stop flights across the Pacific Ocean.
Available here are tracking data for two subspecies of Bar-tailed Godwits. One of the subspecies, Limosa lapponica baueri, nests in Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in New Zealand and eastern Australia whereas L.l.menzbieri nests in Siberia and spends the nonbreeding season in western Australia. This study was the first to describe the year-round movements of these extremely long-distance migrants.
Return to Ecosystems >> Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists collect data from wildlife tracking devices to: determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on various behaviors, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may indicate sites of importance to species and populations. Tracking data from other wildlife species can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VYSWEH
Tracking Maps
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Bar-tailed Godwit Tracking Maps
These webpages contain five different types of browse maps and other visualizations of the tracking data.
- Maps (Animated, Static, Interactive, and Google Earth)
- Summary graphs of the data: where, when, duration
- Shorebirds Tagged Animal Movement Explorer interactive visualization tool
- Note: These maps serve only as a depiction of the geographic content of the specific data provided and may be inappropriate for inferences and interpretation outside the intent of the original study. For example, maps may portray only certain ages, sexes, limited numbers of animals or variable tracking duration and start times that may limit inference for other questions. Users are advised to read the publication(s) and data set metadata associated with these maps to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
Data Packages
Argos Satellite Telemetry Data
These data packages contain the data collected from satellite transmitters attached to free-ranging animals. The packages include both raw and processed location and sensor data. The raw data includes data as originally retrieved from the Argos System. The processed data have been filtered for location plausibility, and sensor data have been decoded into standard measurement units. For most users, the processed data will be preferred.
NOTE: Processed data contains both plausible (DAF_Filter=0) and implausible (DAF_Filter=1) locations as indicated by the column “Location_DAF_filter”. Before using these data, we recommend excluding locations flagged as implausible or apply an alternative filtering method of your choice.
- Processed Data [Metadata] [Data Download]
- Raw Data [Metadata] [Data Download]
- Read Me [PDF]
Suggested Citation
Gill, R.E., Jr., Tibbitts, T.L., Battley, P.F., Warnock, N., and Douglas, D.C., 2023, Tracking data for Bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri and Limosa lapponica menzbieri ) (ver 1.0, November 2023): U.S. Geological Survey data release, doi:10.5066/P9A9BYQW
Shorebird Research
With its vast size and geographic position at the northern end of several migration pathways, Alaska is a critically important site for the world’s shorebirds. Thirty-seven shorebird species regularly breed in Alaska. Most of these species conduct epically long migrations to take advantage of Alaska’s abundant food resources and breeding habitat, making Alaska a global resource for shorebirds...
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwit with a satellite transmitter and tag Z0
Bar-tailed godwit "Z0" instrumented with an implanted Argos satellite transmitter (note dorsally exposed antenna) to facilitate aerodynamics during the species non-stop flights across the Pacific Ocean.
Bar-tailed godwit "Z0" instrumented with an implanted Argos satellite transmitter (note dorsally exposed antenna) to facilitate aerodynamics during the species non-stop flights across the Pacific Ocean.