Technological advancements in Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry markers allow almost real-time observation of waterfowl movements and habitat selection. Telemetry data on ducks marked with GPS transmitters can be used to evaluate performance of remote sensing data (for example, dynamic open-water maps produced by Point Blue Conservation Science) for classifying habitats that are flooded and available for waterfowl. Translating dynamic open-water maps to waterfowl-relevant habitat maps provides a major improvement for wildlife researchers and managers to assist in their assessments of the areas and habitats used by waterfowl as hydrologic conditions change, both temporally and spatially. Suitable habitat maps developed using dynamic water data should accurately and consistently characterize those flooded habitats used by ducks. Because ducks prefer flooded habitats like wetlands and rice fields, duck locations recorded with telemetry technology can be used to validate and enhance maps developed to characterize waterfowl habitats that change temporally with drought or water management. Additionally, high-resolution telemetry data recorded in near real-time can provide information on waterfowl responsiveness to water-management decisions intended to provide adequate habitat for waterfowl. For example, telemetry data can be analyzed to infer duck response to drought in terms of distance traveled to feed and overlap in use of space or habitats by ducks, which have implications for the population dynamics of ducks.

Technological advancements in Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry markers allow almost real-time observation of waterfowl movements and habitat selection. Telemetry data on ducks marked with GPS transmitters can be used to evaluate performance of remote sensing data (for example, dynamic open-water maps produced by Point Blue Conservation Science) for classifying habitats that are flooded and available for waterfowl. Translating dynamic open-water maps to waterfowl-relevant habitat maps provides a major improvement for wildlife researchers and managers to assist in their assessments of the areas and habitats used by waterfowl as hydrologic conditions change, both temporally and spatially. Suitable habitat maps developed using dynamic water data should accurately and consistently characterize those flooded habitats used by ducks. Because ducks prefer flooded habitats like wetlands and rice fields, duck locations recorded with telemetry technology can be used to validate and enhance maps developed to characterize waterfowl habitats that change temporally with drought or water management. Additionally, high-resolution telemetry data recorded in near real-time can provide information on waterfowl responsiveness to water-management decisions intended to provide adequate habitat for waterfowl. For example, telemetry data can be analyzed to infer duck response to drought in terms of distance traveled to feed and overlap in use of space or habitats by ducks, which have implications for the population dynamics of ducks.

Understanding the short- and long-distance movements of wildlife is critical for a wide variety of ecological research studies and management decisions. Since the mid-1980s, the USGS Alaska Science Center has collected 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, determine timing of life cycle events, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may be of significance to other species and populations. These datasets are a collection of the USGS Alaska Science Center wildlife tracking data arranged by species or closely allied species groups. Details of tracking projects, devices, methods, and data can be found within each species directory.

Understanding the short- and long-distance movements of wildlife is critical for a wide variety of ecological research studies and management decisions. Since the mid-1980s, the USGS Alaska Science Center has collected 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, determine timing of life cycle events, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may be of significance to other species and populations. These datasets are a collection of the USGS Alaska Science Center wildlife tracking data arranged by species or closely allied species groups. Details of tracking projects, devices, methods, and data can be found within each species directory.

In this data set, records (rows) represent GPS locations of ducks marked with telemetry in California and whether locations were overlapping (within 300 m of) locations of marked ducks in other consecutive years (2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18) during October - March. Years 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 represented drought, non-drought, and non-drought, respectively. Matchett and company (2020; see Larger Work section for citation) summarized this data set in tables E3 and E4 to compare overlap of duck locations between consecutive years to investigate interannual habitat stability in relationship with drought, habitat management (daytime roosts and night feeding sites), and in two regions (Suisun Marsh and California except Suisun Marsh). Coincident use of space by ducks across years suggests that the landscape is relatively stable, in terms of where and when flooding occurs, or that birds are actively selecting those portions of the landscape that are consistently flooded even in drought years. We additionally thought that areas used in daytime relative to night would be more consistent across years because of reliable water management for sanctuaries on wildlife areas and national refuges used as daytime roosts. We also hypothesized that areas used in Suisun Marsh would be more consistent across years because water availability is less limited by drought in Suisun and most habitats are flooded each year. Data set columns refer to temporal and spatial attributes of locations in relationship with overlapping duck locations. Column 1 is Region (Suisun Marsh or California excluding Suisun Marsh) where locations were recorded, column 2 is Time of day (day or night) that locations were recorded, and column 3 is Year of use (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18) referencing a year's locations being compared with all locations recorded in the other two years. Columns 4-6 (Year 2015-16, Year 2016-17, Year 2017-18) reference the years being compared with Year of use to determine interannual overlap in space use.

In this data set, records (rows) represent GPS locations of ducks marked with telemetry in California and whether locations were overlapping (within 300 m of) locations of marked ducks in other consecutive years (2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18) during October - March. Years 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 represented drought, non-drought, and non-drought, respectively. Matchett and company (2020; see Larger Work section for citation) summarized this data set in tables E3 and E4 to compare overlap of duck locations between consecutive years to investigate interannual habitat stability in relationship with drought, habitat management (daytime roosts and night feeding sites), and in two regions (Suisun Marsh and California except Suisun Marsh). Coincident use of space by ducks across years suggests that the landscape is relatively stable, in terms of where and when flooding occurs, or that birds are actively selecting those portions of the landscape that are consistently flooded even in drought years. We additionally thought that areas used in daytime relative to night would be more consistent across years because of reliable water management for sanctuaries on wildlife areas and national refuges used as daytime roosts. We also hypothesized that areas used in Suisun Marsh would be more consistent across years because water availability is less limited by drought in Suisun and most habitats are flooded each year. Data set columns refer to temporal and spatial attributes of locations in relationship with overlapping duck locations. Column 1 is Region (Suisun Marsh or California excluding Suisun Marsh) where locations were recorded, column 2 is Time of day (day or night) that locations were recorded, and column 3 is Year of use (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18) referencing a year's locations being compared with all locations recorded in the other two years. Columns 4-6 (Year 2015-16, Year 2016-17, Year 2017-18) reference the years being compared with Year of use to determine interannual overlap in space use.

This data release includes 2 child items with tracking data for Marbled Godwits, a large-bodied shorebird that, in Alaska, nests in the southwestern portion of the state. Child Item 1: "Argos Satellite Tracking Data for Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) - Processed Data" -- Quality-controlled data collected from Argos satellite transmitters. Child Item 2: "Argos Satellite Tracking Data for Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) - Raw Data" -- All raw data collected from Argos satellite transmitters, provided for completeness of the archive. The quality-controlled, "Argos Processed Data" (Child Item 1) are better suited for most analytical purposes.

These location data were collected from a free-ranging species of diving duck, the Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), using the Argos Satellite Telemetry System with platform transmitter terminals (PTTs) that were surgically implanted in ducks. Ducks were marked at two breeding areas: Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, USA at the northern extent of their distribution (66.51000 degrees N, -145.98556 degrees W) in 2012 and at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, USA at the southern extent of their distribution (44.63778 degrees N, -111.73694 degrees W) in 2009. These data can be downloaded from the Movebank repository (www.movebank.org) as an Excel (.csv), Google Earth (.kmz), or ESRI shapefile (study name "Tracking Data for Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)", study ID 1081716933, https://www.movebank.org/cms/webapp?gwt_fragment=page=studies,path=study1081716933).

These location data were collected from a free-ranging species of diving duck, the Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), using the Argos Satellite Telemetry System with platform transmitter terminals (PTTs) that were surgically implanted in ducks. Ducks were marked at two breeding areas: Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, USA at the northern extent of their distribution (66.51000 degrees N, -145.98556 degrees W) in 2012 and at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, USA at the southern extent of their distribution (44.63778 degrees N, -111.73694 degrees W) in 2009. These data can be downloaded from the Movebank repository (www.movebank.org) as an Excel (.csv), Google Earth (.kmz), or ESRI shapefile (study name "Tracking Data for Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)", study ID 1081716933, https://www.movebank.org/cms/webapp?gwt_fragment=page=studies,path=study1081716933).

This data package contains all location data collected by light-level geolocators attached to 68 Black Brant at breeding areas in Alaska. The data include: a deployment attributes file with details of each brant at the time of capture, the raw light-level data in ASCII files as downloaded and decompressed, and twice-daily estimated locations.