observations.csv

observations.csv is a tabular data ressources from a GeoLocator Data Package containing any relevant events (datetime and location) that happened typically on the field and which providing important information for the analysis. These observations must typically include at least the equipment and, if appriate, the retrieval, but also any ringing control or direct sightings for instance.

You can think of observations as your log entries in your ringing book.

An observation is described by at least, the datetime of the observation, the location (latitude and longitude), the ring_number of the bird and the type of observations observation_type (e.g., equipement, retrieval or control). In addition, we require also age and life_stage (which can be set as unknown U).

Also include the ringing events of any control group (i.e., birds ringed but not equipped with a tag).

observations

Source: observations-table-schema.json

Name Definition Type
ring_number*

Ring number associated with the observed species. Foreign key to tags.ring_number.

Constraints
  • required: true

Example: F58445

 string
tag_id

Unique identifier of the tag. tag_id is NOT required in this table so that you can enter any relevant ringed specied (e.g. control group). Foreign key to tags.tag_id.

Constraints
  • required: false

Example: 18LX

 string
observation_type*

Type of observation.

  • equipment: Attachment of the tag on the bird. If you’re equipping a new tag at the same time as retrieving an old one from the same bird, create two dedicated rows in the dataset: one for the retrieval and one for the equipment.
  • retrieval: Retrieval of the data. Generally through recapture and removal of the tag from the bird but can also be through remote download readout method (see tags.readout_method).
  • capture: General case of capture of a bird while not deploying nor retriving a tag. This option covers the case of (1) recapturing a bird without a device (choose missing in device_status), (2) the case of a capture before an equipment or after a retrieval and (3) and capture of individuals from the control group. Recapture/retrap are not hard coded in the dataset, but infered from consecutive capture of the same ring_number.
  • sighting: Known presence of the bird on a date and location besides ringing (e.g. direct observation in the field with color ring)
  • other: Other type of observation. Avoid using this, and if using, always provide observation_comments.
Constraints
  • required: true
  • enum: equipment, retrieval, capture, sighting, other

Example: equipment

 string
datetime*

Date and time of the observation. Formatted as an ISO 8601 string (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ).

Constraints
  • required: true

Example: 2020-03-01T22:00:00Z

 datetime
latitude*

Latitude of the observation location in decimal degrees, using the WGS84 datum.

Constraints
  • required: true
  • minimum: -90
  • maximum: 90

Example: 52.70442

 number
longitude*

Longitude of the observation location in decimal degrees, using the WGS84 datum.

Constraints
  • required: true
  • minimum: -180
  • maximum: 180

Example: 23.84995

 number
location_name

Given name of the observation location. It might be helpful to keep a human-readable name of the location to differentiate the location of different observations more easily.

Constraints
  • required: false

Example: Mwamba center--Nest box #2

 string
device_status

Status of the tag itself (not the data inside the tag):

  • present: Tag on the bird.
  • none: No tag present on the bird and this is expected (e.g. pre-equipmenet, post-removal, or control group). Only for observation_type='capture'.
  • missing: Tag lost by the bird. Only for observation_type='capture'. In case a new tag is deployed on a bird which has lost his previous tag, create two rows: one capture-missing and one equipment-present.
  • broken_damage: Tag on the bird but presenting some physical damages. Provide details in observation_comments. This field does not imply anything about the data content of the tag. Do not use this for mal-functioning tag (e.g. partial or no data recorded etc…), only what is visible when capturing the bird.
  • unknown: Only for observation_type = 'sighting'.

Can only be present for observation_type equipment or retrieval.

Constraints
  • required: false
  • enum: present, none, missing, broken_damage, unknown

Example: broken_damage

 string
observer

The name of the individual or group who made the observation.

Constraints
  • required: false

Example: Yann Rime

 string
catching_method

Catching method according to EURING Exchange Code. Generally, one of:

  • M: Misnet
  • N: on nest
  • Z: unknown
Constraints
  • required: false
  • enum: -, A, B, C, D, F, G, H, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z

Example: M

 string
life_stage*

Life stage of the bird according to the age class in EURING Exchange Code.

  • 0: Unknown
  • 1: Pullus
  • 2: Full-grown
  • 3: 1yr
  • 4: >1yr
  • 5: 2yr
  • 6: >2yr
Constraints
  • required: true
  • enum: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H

Example: 1

 string
sex*

Sex of the bird according to EURING Exchange Code as male M, female F or unknown U.

Constraints
  • required: true
  • enum: U, M, F

Example: female

 string
condition

Condition of bird follow a simplified version of EURING Exchange Code. Assumed to be alive if not provided

Constraints
  • required: false
  • enum: alive, unhealthy, dead, unknown

Example: alive

 string
mass

Mass of the tagged bird. See EURING Exchange Code. Expressed in grams.

Constraints
  • required: false
  • minimum: 0

Example: 23.3

 number
wing_length

Maximum chord measurement. See EURING Exchange Code. Expressed in milimeters.

Constraints
  • required: false
  • minimum: 0

Example: 15.4

  • Same as
number
additional_metric

A list of additional measurements, facts, characteristics, or assertions about the record. Recommended best practice is to use a key:value encoding schema for a data interchange format such as JSON.

Constraints
  • required: false

Example: {'tarsusLengthInMeters':0.014, 'weightInGrams':120}

 string
observation_comments

Comments or notes about the observation.

Constraints
  • required: false
 string