title: GPS tracking data of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls breeding at the southern North Sea coast.
abstract: In this data paper, Bird tracking - GPS tracking of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls breeding at the southern North Sea coast is described, a species occurrence dataset published by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). The dataset (version 5.5) contains close to 2.5 million occurrences, recorded by 101 GPS trackers mounted on 75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 26 Herring Gulls breeding at the Belgian and Dutch coast. The trackers were developed by the University of Amsterdam Bird Tracking System (UvA-BiTS, http://www.uva-bits.nl). These automatically record and transmit bird movements, which allows us and others to study their habitat use and migration behaviour in great detail. Our bird tracking network is operational since 2013. It is funded for LifeWatch by the Hercules Foundation and maintained in collaboration with UvA-BiTS and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). The recorded data are periodically released in bulk as open data (http://dataset.inbo.be/bird-tracking-gull-occurrences), and are also accessible through CartoDB and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eric W M
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Stienen
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Desmet
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aelterman
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Courtens
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium; Ethology (ETHO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feys
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanermen
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hilbran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verstraete
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc Van
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Walle
authors.affiliation: Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400, Ostend, Belgium.
authors.forename: Klaas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deneudt
authors.affiliation: Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400, Ostend, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400, Ostend, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Houthoofdt
authors.affiliation: Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400, Ostend, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanhoorne
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bouten
authors.affiliation: Buijs Eco Consult B.V., Philips van Dorpstraat 49, 4698 RV, Oud-Vossemeer, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roland-Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Buijs
authors.affiliation: Ethology (ETHO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium; Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marwa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kavelaars
authors.affiliation: Ethology (ETHO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wendt
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matheve
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sotillo
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lens
keywords: GPS tracking; Herring Gull; Larus argentatus; Larus fuscus; Lesser Black-backed Gull; LifeWatch; MachineObservation; UvA-BiTS; animal movement; bird tracking; habitat use; migration; observation; occurrence; open data