Satellite transmitter Global Positioning System (GPS) data from black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris) breeding at Bird Island, 1993-2022
GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/02240
Page Links
Jump To:
- Citation
- Access Data
- Constraints
- Basic Information
- Additional Information
- Locality
- Instrumentation
- Storage
Related Links
Summary
Abstract:
This dataset captures locations from satellite transmitters (platform terminal transmitters; PTTs) and high resolution GPS loggers deployed on 246 black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris) breeding on Bird Island, South Georgia from 1993 to 2022. GPS loggers were set to obtain fixes at intervals of 1 to 60 minutes. The file is stored in .csv format.
This work was funded as part of the Bird Island Long-term Monitoring Programme at BAS and by a National Science Foundation CAREER award (no. 79804).
Keywords:
Bird Island, GPS, PTT, Thalassarche melanophris, black-browed albatross, movement
Citation
Phillips, R.A., Wakefield, E.D., Thorne, L., & Wood, A.G. (2026). Satellite transmitter Global Positioning System (GPS) data from black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris) breeding at Bird Island, 1993-2022 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/3bcd59f9-1068-4474-bca9-c8ca9fe0caed
Access Data
GET DATA
REFERENCE MATERIALS
- https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.906
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-018-3408-x
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03841-y
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-023-03146-4
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.010
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.03.020
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.109994
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.018
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.08.024
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103334
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102012000132
- https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-048X.2000.310302.x
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-0406-x
- https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/120.4.1082
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2004.2718
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2883
- https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13407
- https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13568
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13041
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7225
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-020-0194-0
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-021-00243-z
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00614-w
- https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.247431
- https://doi.org/10.1890/07-2111.1
- https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08028
- https://doi.org/10.3354/meps266265
- https://doi.org/10.3354/meps340271
RELATED DATA SET METADATA
- https://doi.org/10.5285/1510b98d-2807-4d48-9156-43136ce8a3c3
- https://doi.org/10.5285/1a916a0a-adcd-4565-9de9-b535000fd6f8
- https://doi.org/10.5285/249ce261-284c-4e26-bcab-1a57cee7de5e
- https://doi.org/10.5285/8e303c28-c96a-49e7-951d-2d69c0b6f032
- https://doi.org/10.5285/eed61447-bcca-4f7a-bdc3-533b76092b5e
SOFTWARE PACKAGES
Constraints
| Access Constraints: | This dataset is under embargo until the publication of the relevant manuscript. |
|---|---|
| Use Constraints: | This data is governed by the NERC data policy http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/sites/data/policy/ and supplied under Open Government Licence v.3 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/. |
Basic Information
| Creation Date: | 2026-07-09 |
|---|---|
| Dataset Progress: | Complete |
| Dataset Language: | English |
| ISO Topic Categories: |
|
| Parameters: |
|
| Personnel: | |
| Name | UK Polar Data Centre |
| Role(s) | Metadata Author |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Prof Richard A Phillips |
| Role(s) | Investigator, Technical Contact |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Ewan D Wakefield |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Name | Lesley Thorne |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | Stony Brook University |
| Name | Dr Andrew G Wood |
| Role(s) | Investigator |
| Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
| Parent Dataset: | N/A |
Additional Information
| Reference: | These data were used in the following manuscript: Gillies, N., Phillips, R. A., Weimerskirch, H., Potts, J. R., Réale, D., Wilson, A. J., Angelier, F., Barbraud, C., Bennison, A., Delord, K., Lemesle, P., Peroteau, S., Wood, A. G., Xavier, J. C., Patrick, S. C. (2026) Contrasting associations between parental coordination and breeding success in albatrosses across differing environmental contexts. (in prep.) For deployment and other details, see previous papers that included part or all of these data as follows: Maywar, I.J., Phillips, R.A., Orben, R.A., Conners, M. G., Shaffer, S.A. and Thorne, L. (2026) Differential impacts of wind and waves on albatross energetics in two ocean basins. Movement Ecology 14, 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00614-w Wakefield, E.D., McClymont, E.L., Carneiro, A.P.B., Croxall, J.P., González-Solís, J., Granroth-Wilding, H.M.V., Thorne, L., Warwick-Evans, V., Wood, A.G., Xavier, J.C. and Phillips, R.A. (2025) Seasonal resource tracking and use of sea-ice foraging habitats by albatrosses and large petrels. Progress in Oceanography 230, 103334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103334 Darby, J., Phillips, R.A., Weimerskirch, H., Xavier, J.C., Pereira, J.M., Wakefield, E.D. and Patrick, S. (2024) Strong winds reduce foraging success in albatrosses. Current Biology 34, P5615-5621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.018 Conners, M.G., Green, J.A., Phillips, R.A., Orben, R.A., Cui, C., Djurić, P.M., Heywood, E., Vyssotski, A.L. and Thorne, L.H. (2024) Dynamic soaring decouples dynamic body acceleration and energetics in albatrosses. Journal of Experimental Biology 227, jeb247431. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.247431 O'Neil, E.K., Frankish, C.K. and Phillips, R.A. (2023) Rafting behaviour of albatrosses and petrels at South Georgia. Polar Biology 46, 597-610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-023-03146-4 Beal, M. et al. (2023) Quantifying annual spatial consistency in breeding seabirds to inform important site identification. Biological Conservation 281, 109994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.109994 Bonnet-Lebrun, A.-S., Collet, J. and Phillips, R.A. (2021) A test of the win-stay-lose-shift foraging strategy and its adaptive value in albatrosses. Animal Behaviour 182, 141-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.010 Beal, M. et al. (2021) Global political responsibility for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels. Science Advances 7, eabd7225. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7225 Conners, M., Théo, M., Heywood, E., Orben, R.A., Phillips, R.A., Vyssotski, A., Shaffer, S. and Thorne, L.H. (2021) Hidden Markov models reveal major movement modes in accelerometer and magnetometer data from four albatross species. Movement Ecology 9, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-021-00243-z Bentley, L.K., Kato, A., Ropert-Coudert, Y., Manica, A. and Phillips, R.A. (2021) Diving behaviour of albatrosses: implications for foraging ecology and bycatch susceptibility. Marine Biology 168, 36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03841-y Handley, J., Pearmain, E.J., Oppel, S., Carneiro, A., Hazin, C., Phillips, R.A, Ratcliffe, N., Staniland, I.J., Clay, T., Hall, J., Scheffer, A., Fedak, M., Boehme, L., Pütz, K., Belchier, M., Boyd, I., Trathan, P.N. and Dias, M. (2020) Evaluating the effectiveness of a large multi-use MPA in protecting Key Biodiversity Areas for marine predators. Diversity and Distributions 26, 715-729. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13041 Hindell, M.A. et al. (2020) Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems. Nature 580, 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y Ropert-Coudert, Y. et al. (2020) The retrospective analysis of Antarctic tracking data project. Scientific Data 7, 94. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-0406-x Carneiro, A.P.B., Pearmain, E.J., Oppel, S., Clay, T.A., Phillips, R.A. et al. (2020) A framework for mapping the distribution of Southern Ocean seabirds across life-history stages, by integrating tracking, demography and phenology. Journal of Applied Ecology 57, 514-525. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13568 Frankish, C.K., Manica, A. and Phillips, R.A. (2020) Effects of age on foraging behavior in two closely related albatross species. Movement Ecology 8, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-020-0194-0 Clay, T.C., Small, C., Tuck, G.N., Pardo, D., Carneiro, A.P.B., Wood, A.G., Croxall, J.P., Crossin, G.T. and Phillips, R.A. (2019) A comprehensive large-scale assessment of fisheries bycatch risk to threatened seabird populations. Journal of Applied Ecology 56, 1882-1893. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13407 Bonnet-Lebrun, A.-S., Phillips, R.A., Manica, A. and Rodrigues, A.S.L. (2018) A new method to quantify individual specialization using tracking data: a case study on two species of albatrosses. Marine Biology 165, 152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-018-3408-x Oppel, S., Bolton, M., Carneiro, A.P.B., Dias, M.P., Green, J.A., Masello, J.F., Phillips, R.A. et al. (2018) Spatial scales of marine conservation management for breeding seabirds. Marine Policy 98, 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.08.024 Tancell, C., Sutherland, W.J and Phillips, R.A. (2016) Marine spatial planning for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels breeding at South Georgia. Biological Conservation 198, 165-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.03.020 Wakefield, E.D., Phillips, R.A. and Belchier, M. (2012) Foraging black-browed albatrosses target waters overlaying moraine banks - a consequence of upward benthic-pelagic coupling? Antarctic Science 24, 269-280. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102012000132 Wakefield, E.D., Phillips, R.A., Trathan, P.N., Arata, J., Gales, R., Huin, N., Robertson, G., Waugh, S.M., Weimerskirch, H. and Matthiopoulos, J. (2011) Habitat preference, accessibility and competition limit the global distribution of breeding black-browed albatrosses. Ecological Monographs 81, 141-167. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2883 Phillips, R.A., Wakefield, E.D., Croxall, J.P., Fukuda, A. and Higuchi, H. (2009) Albatross foraging behaviour: no evidence for dual foraging, and limited support for anticipatory regulation of provisioning at South Georgia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 391, 279-292. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08028 Wakefield, E.D., Phillips, R.A., Matthiopoulos, J., Fukuda, A., Higuchi, H., Marshall, G.J. and Trathan, P.N. (2009). Wind field and sex constrain flight speeds of central-place foraging albatrosses. Ecological Monographs 79, 663-679. https://doi.org/10.1890/07-2111.1 Phillips, R.A., Croxall, J.P., Silk, J.R.D. and Briggs, D.R. (2008) Foraging ecology of albatrosses and petrels from South Georgia: two decades of insights from tracking technologies. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 17, S6-S21. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.906 Phalan, B, Phillips, R.A., Silk, J.R.D., Afanasyev, V., Fukuda, A., Fox, J., Catry, P., Higuchi, H. and Croxall, J.P. (2007) Foraging behaviour of four albatross species by night and day. Marine Ecology Progress Series 340, 271-286. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps340271 Phillips, R.A., Silk, J.R.D., Phalan, B., Catry, P. & Croxall, J.P (2004) Seasonal sexual segregation in two Thalassarche albatross species: competitive exclusion, reproductive role specialization or trophic niche divergence? Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B 271, 1283-1291. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2004.2718 Phillips, R.A., Silk, J.R.D., Croxall, J.P., Afanasyev, V. and Briggs, D.R. (2004) Accuracy of geolocation estimates for flying seabirds. Marine Ecology Progress Series 266, 265-272. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps266265 Phillips, R.A., Xavier, J.C. and Croxall, J.P. (2003) Effects of satellite transmitters on albatrosses and petrels. Auk 120, 1082-1090. https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/120.4.1082 Wood, A. G., B. Naef-Daenzer, P. A. Prince, and J. P. Croxall. 2000. Quantifying habitat use in satellite-tracked pelagic seabirds: application of kernel estimation to albatross locations. Journal of Avian Biology 31:278-286. Scripts used to process the data for use in this manuscript can be found on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19090542 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Quality: | ||
| Lineage/Methodology: | Data were collected during the breeding period between austral summers 1993/1994 and 2022/2023. All tracked birds were part of long-term studies and were fitted with a metal ring and a plastic ring with a unique alphanumeric code for individual identification. Birds were equipped with a satellite transmitter (T2038 (Toyocom, Japan), or PTT-100 (Microwave Telemetry, USA) or x (Mariner Radar, UK)), or a GPS logger (i-gotU GT-120 (MobileAction Technology, Taiwan), MiniGPSlog (earth & OceanTechnology, Germany) and MicroGPSlog (earth & OceanTechnology, Germany)). GPS loggers were set to obtain fixes at intervals of 1 to 60 minutes. Devices were attached to the mantle feathers of birds using marine Tesa® tape and were recovered when the bird had completed at least one foraging trip. Scripts used to process the data for use in this manuscript can be found on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19090542 |
|
Locality
| Temporal Coverage: | |
|---|---|
| Start Date | 1993-01-13 |
| End Date | 2022-01-22 |
| Spatial Coverage: | |
| Latitude | |
| Southernmost | -66.705 |
| Northernmost | -36.93616 |
| Longitude | |
| Westernmost | -65.30951 |
| Easternmost | 5.14698 |
| Altitude | |
| Min Altitude | N/A |
| Max Altitude | N/A |
| Depth | |
| Min Depth | N/A |
| Max Depth | N/A |
| Data Resolution: | |
| Latitude Resolution | N/A |
| Longitude Resolution | N/A |
| Horizontal Resolution Range | N/A |
| Vertical Resolution | N/A |
| Vertical Resolution Range | N/A |
| Temporal Resolution | GPS fix at intervals of 1-60 s |
| Temporal Resolution Range | N/A |
| Location: | |
| Location | South Georgia Island |
| Detailed Location | Bird Island |
Instrumentation
| Data Collection: | Satellite transmitters: T2038 (Toyocom, Japan) PTT-100 (Microwave Telemetry, USA) x (Mariner Radar, UK). GPS loggers: i-gotU GT-120 (MobileAction Technology, Taiwan) MiniGPSlog (earth & OceanTechnology, Germany) MicroGPSlog (earth & OceanTechnology, Germany). GPS data were combined into a single .csv file using R, version 4.3.1 (2023-06-16 ucrt). |
|---|
Storage
| Distribution: | |
|---|---|
| Distribution Media | Online Internet (HTTP) |
| Distribution Size | 26MB |
| Distribution Format | ASCII |
| Fees | N/A |
| Data Storage: | The dataset consists of 1x .csv file: bi_bbal_sat_1993-2022.csv [26KB] |