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, have studied shorebirds at numerous sites across North America, the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and New Zealand. This release includes over 10,000 observations relating to 35 shorebird species.

The data in this table 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 20-22 August 2019. Also provided are two Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files with the start and end points of the aerial survey transect segments, and copies of the aerial survey images from which the counts were derived.

This data release contains multiple tables with information on avian demographics collected at the Colville River Delta, Alaska, 2011-2018. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey began studying the reproductive ecology of birds at a site on the Colville River near the Beaufort Sea coast in 2011. Researchers monitored the nests of geese, shorebirds, and landbirds at this study site, determining basic information like arrival dates, nest initiation date, clutch size, hatching success, and rates of chick growth. This release also contains first arrival observations of birds collected by Jim and Teena Helmericks from 1960-2019 at their house located ~15 km northeast of the USGS field camp.

This dataset contains results from long-term monitoring of breeding shorebirds on the Coastal Plain (1002 Area) of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Surveys were conducted during 2019–2022 using the Arctic PRISM (Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring) protocol. The sampling design employed stratified random selection of 16-ha plots across four habitat strata (wetland, moist, riparian, upland), and field methods included rapid area searches by trained observers. The datasets includes plot-level detections, behavioral indicators of breeding status, and habitat classifications to support the estimation of contemporary population sizes for 16 species and assessment of long-term population trends for 13 species present in Brown et al. (2007, The Condor, 109:1–14). Potential users of these data are encouraged to first contact the data authors to discuss intended use and how these data may or may not be applicable.

This dataset contains nesting information for birds breeding at a site on the Colville River, Alaska, 2011–2018. Nests were located during area searches conducted by biologists, and standardized information on each nest was collected following protocols of the Arctic Shorebird Demographic Network (Brown et al. 2014).

This data set provides capture information and body size measurements of adult and gosling Greater White-fronted Geese captured at three study sites on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, 2012-2014.