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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

Argos Wildlife Tracking Bar-tailed Godwits animation
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
Argos Wildlife Tracking of Bar-tailed Godwits.

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.

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

link
A Bar-tailed Godwit with a Z0 tag on it's leg and a satellite transmitter antenna emerging from rear feathers

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...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
link

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...
Learn More

USGS Alaska Science Center Adult Shorebird Morphological Measurement Data

This dataset consists of three tables, 1) taxonomy, 2) contributors, and 3) shorebird morphological measurements collected from various species captured from 1977-2021. In addition, photographs of plumage patterns are available for several species. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center, along with collaborators from many government agencies and research institutions,
By
Alaska Science Center

Bird Species Checklists from USGS Alaska Science Center Field Camps

These data are daily summary checklists of all bird species observed at U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center (ASC) field camps. Data include species observation details such as observers, dates, location, and number of individuals seen.
By
Alaska Science Center

Aerial surveys of shorebirds at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska, 2018-2019

These data are in one table and document the numbers of four species of shorebird counted during aerial surveys of coastal sites in western Alaska. Survey regions encompassed coastline between the mouths of the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers, and the northern coast of the Alaska Peninsula from the mouths of the Kvichak and Naknek Rivers to Nelson Lagoon. Surveys were flown from 7-9 September 2018 and
By
Alaska Science Center
Habitat of bar-tailed godwit in Alaska. Rolling tundra with hummocks and low shrubs with mountains in the background.
link
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
close up of Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
link
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
link
Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
A Bar-tailed Godwit with a Z0 tag on it's leg and a satellite transmitter antenna emerging from rear feathers
link
Bar-tailed Godwit with a satellite transmitter and tag Z0

Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica in Alaska: Revisiting population estimates from the staging grounds

Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica baueri breed in Alaska and spend the nonbreeding season primarily in eastern Australia and New Zealand. Long-term declines spurred recent surveys at nonbreeding sites that yielded a revised population estimate of ~126,000 godwits. We conducted aerial surveys for Bar-tailed Godwits in 2018 and 2019 at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska. Counts from sim
Authors
Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Zak Pohlen, Heather M. Wilson, James Johnson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Physiomorphic transformation in extreme endurance migrants: Revisiting the case of bar-tailed godwits preparing for trans-pacific flights

In a 1998 paper entitled “Guts don’t fly: small digestive organs in obese bar-tailed godwits,” Piersma and Gill (1998) showed that the digestive organs were tiny and the fat loads huge in individuals suspected of embarking on a non-stop flight from Alaska to New Zealand. It was suggested that prior to migratory departure, these godwits would shrink the digestive organs used during fuel deposition
Authors
Theunis Piersma, Robert E. Gill, Daniel R. Ruthrauff
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Shorebird research at the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center

Shorebirds—which include sandpipers, plovers, and oystercatchers—are perhaps best known by their presence on sandy beaches, running along the water’s edge while they probe for food. But they are probably less recognized for their impressive long-distance migrations. Millions of individuals travel from across the globe to breed throughout Alaska each spring, making these birds a familiar and import
Authors
Dan Ruthrauff, T. Lee Tibbitts, John Pearce
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Shorebird subsistence harvest and indigenous knowledge in Alaska: Informing harvest assessment and management, and engaging users in shorebird conservation

Limited data on harvest and population parameters are major impediments to assess shorebird harvest sustainability. Because of sharp declines in shorebird populations, timely conservation efforts require approaches that account for uncertainty in harvest sustainability. We combined harvest assessment and ethnographic research to better understand shorebird conservation concerns related to subsiste
Authors
Naves. Liliana, Jacqueline Keating, T. Lee Tibbitts, Daniel R. Ruthrauff
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center
link

Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" Sets World Record

A four-month-old bar-tailed godwit known as B6 set a new world record by completing a non-stop 11-day migration of 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania...

Read Article
  • Overview

    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

    Argos Wildlife Tracking Bar-tailed Godwits animation
    Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
    Argos Wildlife Tracking of Bar-tailed Godwits.

    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.

    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

  • Science
    link
    A Bar-tailed Godwit with a Z0 tag on it's leg and a satellite transmitter antenna emerging from rear feathers

    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...
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center
    link

    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...
    Learn More
  • Data

    USGS Alaska Science Center Adult Shorebird Morphological Measurement Data

    This dataset consists of three tables, 1) taxonomy, 2) contributors, and 3) shorebird morphological measurements collected from various species captured from 1977-2021. In addition, photographs of plumage patterns are available for several species. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center, along with collaborators from many government agencies and research institutions,
    By
    Alaska Science Center

    Bird Species Checklists from USGS Alaska Science Center Field Camps

    These data are daily summary checklists of all bird species observed at U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center (ASC) field camps. Data include species observation details such as observers, dates, location, and number of individuals seen.
    By
    Alaska Science Center

    Aerial surveys of shorebirds at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska, 2018-2019

    These data are in one table and document the numbers of four species of shorebird counted during aerial surveys of coastal sites in western Alaska. Survey regions encompassed coastline between the mouths of the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers, and the northern coast of the Alaska Peninsula from the mouths of the Kvichak and Naknek Rivers to Nelson Lagoon. Surveys were flown from 7-9 September 2018 and
    By
    Alaska Science Center
  • Multimedia
    Habitat of bar-tailed godwit in Alaska. Rolling tundra with hummocks and low shrubs with mountains in the background.
    link
    Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
    close up of Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
    link
    Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
    Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
    link
    Bar-tailed Godwits flying over water near Cape Avinof, Alaska
    A Bar-tailed Godwit with a Z0 tag on it's leg and a satellite transmitter antenna emerging from rear feathers
    link
    Bar-tailed Godwit with a satellite transmitter and tag Z0
  • Publications

    Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica in Alaska: Revisiting population estimates from the staging grounds

    Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica baueri breed in Alaska and spend the nonbreeding season primarily in eastern Australia and New Zealand. Long-term declines spurred recent surveys at nonbreeding sites that yielded a revised population estimate of ~126,000 godwits. We conducted aerial surveys for Bar-tailed Godwits in 2018 and 2019 at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska. Counts from sim
    Authors
    Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Zak Pohlen, Heather M. Wilson, James Johnson
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

    Physiomorphic transformation in extreme endurance migrants: Revisiting the case of bar-tailed godwits preparing for trans-pacific flights

    In a 1998 paper entitled “Guts don’t fly: small digestive organs in obese bar-tailed godwits,” Piersma and Gill (1998) showed that the digestive organs were tiny and the fat loads huge in individuals suspected of embarking on a non-stop flight from Alaska to New Zealand. It was suggested that prior to migratory departure, these godwits would shrink the digestive organs used during fuel deposition
    Authors
    Theunis Piersma, Robert E. Gill, Daniel R. Ruthrauff
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

    Shorebird research at the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center

    Shorebirds—which include sandpipers, plovers, and oystercatchers—are perhaps best known by their presence on sandy beaches, running along the water’s edge while they probe for food. But they are probably less recognized for their impressive long-distance migrations. Millions of individuals travel from across the globe to breed throughout Alaska each spring, making these birds a familiar and import
    Authors
    Dan Ruthrauff, T. Lee Tibbitts, John Pearce
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

    Shorebird subsistence harvest and indigenous knowledge in Alaska: Informing harvest assessment and management, and engaging users in shorebird conservation

    Limited data on harvest and population parameters are major impediments to assess shorebird harvest sustainability. Because of sharp declines in shorebird populations, timely conservation efforts require approaches that account for uncertainty in harvest sustainability. We combined harvest assessment and ethnographic research to better understand shorebird conservation concerns related to subsiste
    Authors
    Naves. Liliana, Jacqueline Keating, T. Lee Tibbitts, Daniel R. Ruthrauff
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center
  • News
    link

    Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" Sets World Record

    A four-month-old bar-tailed godwit known as B6 set a new world record by completing a non-stop 11-day migration of 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania...

    Read Article