In a monumental stride for ornithology and conservation science, University of Utah biologist Çağan Şekercioğlu has unveiled BIRDBASE, a comprehensive global dataset that catalogs the ecological and life history traits of every bird species recognized across the world’s major avian taxonomies. This unprecedented collection represents over two decades of meticulous data compilation and verification, culminating in a resource that spans 78 ecological traits for 11,589 species distributed among 254 bird families. BIRDBASE is poised to revolutionize the way researchers approach studies of avian ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation efforts worldwide.
The dataset’s scope and depth are staggering; traits recorded include critical ecological parameters such as body mass, primary habitat preference, diet classification, nest type, maximum clutch size, life history variables, elevational ranges, and movement strategies including migratory behaviors. This multifaceted approach allows scientists not only to analyze individual species’ biology but also to identify macroecological and biogeographical patterns that transcend taxa and continents. By standardizing and centralizing this data, BIRDBASE addresses a long-standing gap in the availability of high-quality, global avian trait data that has hindered large-scale ecological and conservation research.
The genesis of BIRDBASE traces back to 1999 during Şekercioğlu’s graduate studies at Stanford University. Initially a modest inquiry into the extinction risks faced by tropical forest understory insectivorous birds, the project quickly exposed a dearth of consolidated data on global bird traits. Recognizing this critical shortfall, Şekercioğlu embarked on the ambitious task of assembling a global database, an endeavor that required an immense collaborative effort. Enlisting countless students and volunteers, supported by the Stanford Center for Conservation Biology, the project gradually expanded beyond the initial question, evolving into the largest and most detailed avian dataset created to date.
Years of painstaking work involved synthesizing data extracted from authoritative taxonomic and conservation sources, including BirdLife International, Birds of the World, hundreds of ornithological publications, and direct field observations made by Şekercioğlu himself, who has personally documented more than 9,400 bird species. Each species’ profile within BIRDBASE is represented as a single row in an Excel dataset, with multiple tabbed worksheets detailing trait values, definitions, nest characteristics, and source references, ensuring data transparency and usability for the scientific community.
One of the crucial outputs enabled by BIRDBASE is the enhanced understanding of how trait variation correlates with extinction risk and conservation status. Şekercioğlu and his team found that more than half of the world’s bird species are insectivorous, a group that predominantly inhabits tropical forests and faces sharp declines due to habitat fragmentation and environmental pressures. Remarkably, BIRDBASE reveals that these smaller-bodied, specialized birds are particularly sensitive to fragmentation effects despite their relatively modest spatial requirements, highlighting vulnerabilities that challenge previous assumptions in conservation biology.
Moreover, the dataset spotlights the precarious status of piscivorous seabirds, who are also at elevated risk of population decline, underscoring the urgent need for tailored conservation interventions for marine avian species. The eco-evolutionary role of frugivorous birds emerges as another key insight; these species are pivotal seed dispersers in tropical ecosystems, responsible for over 90% of woody plant seed dispersal in some forests. Such functional importance cements their status as ecosystem engineers, critical for maintaining forest regeneration and carbon sequestration processes.
As a publicly accessible resource hosted on Figshare, BIRDBASE democratizes access to global avian trait data “with no strings attached,” facilitating open collaboration and accelerating research across disciplines. It empowers researchers worldwide to tackle “big questions” in ecological theory, conservation planning, and biodiversity policy with empirical rigor. Şekercioğlu emphasizes, however, that BIRDBASE is a living dataset—much like a medieval cathedral, ever under construction—continually refined and expanded as new data surfaces and taxonomic revisions occur.
The release of BIRDBASE also synchronizes with the debut of AviList, the first unified global checklist of birds that integrates the world’s major avian taxonomies under a single, cohesive framework. This tandem advancement in taxonomy and trait databases promises to streamline avian research by resolving taxonomic inconsistencies and providing standardized references that underpin ecological analyses and biodiversity assessments.
BIRDBASE’s remarkable impact is already evident in the scientific literature, where hundreds of studies have utilized its data, many co-authored by Şekercioğlu and his collaborators. The dataset’s robustness enhances analytical precision in addressing issues such as the drivers of avian extinctions, trait-environment relationships, and the evolutionary underpinnings of life history variation. By filling some of the largest gaps in bird biology knowledge, it leaps beyond individual investigations to inform conservation strategies at global scales.
Despite this transformative contribution, Şekercioğlu candidly reflects on the immense labor investment entailed; nearly three decades of sustained dedication and the equivalent of approximately 30 person-years of work underpin BIRDBASE. His initial naïveté as a graduate student—believing such a data collation endeavor would be straightforward—was tempered by the realities of the painstaking data harmonization effort required. The end product, however, justifies this Herculean task as a foundational tool that will galvanize current and future generations of biologists.
In unveiling BIRDBASE, Şekercioğlu offers a vital resource that merges extensive field expertise with cutting-edge data science. The dataset’s transparency, accessibility, and breadth validate its position as a keystone for advancing our understanding of avian biodiversity in an era of unprecedented environmental change. It signals a paradigm shift towards integrative, trait-based conservation research, equipping scientists with the means to identify species and ecosystems most imperiled and to design evidence-based interventions more effectively than ever before.
Ç a ğ an Şekercioğlu’s vision turns a singular academic question into a global collaborative blueprint for avian research and conservation innovation. As avian populations worldwide face mounting pressures from climate change, habitat loss, and human activity, BIRDBASE stands as both a testament to persistent scientific dedication and an indispensable foundation for safeguarding the future of birds and the ecosystems they inhabit.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: BIRDBASE: A Global Dataset of Ecology and Life History Traits Avian Biogeography, Conservation, Ecology and Life History Traits
News Publication Date: 30-Sep-2025
Web References:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05615-3
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27051040
https://www.biology.utah.edu/faculty/cagan-sekercioglu/
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/avilist-unified-global-checklist/
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/content/taxonomy
References:
Şekercioğlu, Ç., et al. (2025). BIRDBASE: A Global Dataset of Avian Biogeography, Conservation, Ecology and Life History Traits. Scientific Data. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05615-3
Image Credits: Çağan Şekercioğlu, University of Utah
Keywords: Avian traits, bird ecology, conservation biology, macroecology, global dataset, BIRDBASE, endangered species, life history, ornithology, migratory patterns, biodiversity data, ecological traits
