Browse the data
You do not need to register for an account to browse and view the datasets here.
For instructions on how to use the searches and filters, click here.
Request data
1. Log in to your account. If you don’t have an account, fill in this form and we will review your request.
2. Browse the datasets here using the filters and select the datasets you would like to request.
3. Fill in the request form (detailing the planned use of the data and how the data owner will be acknowledged) and click “Send Request” to send to the data owner(s) for approval.
4. When the data owner(s) approve or decline your request, you will receive an email instructing you to check your “My account” page. If the data owner(s) have approved your request, you will be able to click to download the data on the dataset page.
A new request needs to be made to use the data for any purpose not stated in the original request.
Contribute your data
1. Log in to your account. If you don’t have an account, fill in this form and we will review your request.
2. Read the terms of use and the data submission instructions.
3. If you want to add co-owners who can also manage the dataset (only one approval is needed for the data to be made available), make sure that they also have accounts.
4. Fill in the dataset template with your data (see tabs for examples), and save as “CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)”.
5. Click “Add Dataset” (top right on this page), fill in the dataset submission form and upload your file.
6. Your dataset will go to the team for checking and then will be published.
You can edit the dataset at any time via your account page.
About the Data
Species
Tracking data for any seabird species, regardless of their conservation status, are very welcome to our database. A complete list of all seabird species currently recognized by BirdLife International can be found at the Data Zone.
Ownership
Data in the database can be searched and viewed (subject to owner’s permissions), but actual access to tracking data is restricted within a request process.
BirdLife International is the curator and manager of the database, but the data is actually owned by the contributors. The main purpose of the database is to inform conservation work, but we also aim to enhance and collaboration among seabird researchers. Data can be request (see ‘Request Data’ section above) and the contributors then decide whether to accept or reject sharing their data.
The tracking data held in the database were kindly provided by seabird researchers from around the world – lists of contributors are available in the Species Group pages.
More info
The data are organized into datasets. A dataset is a combination of tracking data collected from one-to-several birds belonging to the same species, collected with the same type of device (GPS, PTT or GLS), deployed in the same colony, and owned by the same group of contributors.
Please note that the data held in the database are raw data (filtered to remove erroneous locations in case of PTT and GLS data), corresponding to a small sample of the species’ overall populations. Therefore, the absence of a species in a certain area may not be considered as a true absence of the species. Data should be analysed with the proper statistical tools before deriving any conclusions about the use of the areas.