AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds
Authors: Tobias Joseph A. , Sheard Catherine , Pigot Alex L. , Devenish Adam J. M. , Yang Jingyi , Sayol Ferran , Neate‐Clegg Montague H. C. , Alioravainen Nico , Weeks Thomas L. , Barber Robert A. , Walkden Patrick A. , MacGregor Hannah E. A. , Jones Samuel E. I. , Vincent Claire , Phillips Anna G. , Marples Nicola M. , Montaño‐Centellas Flavia A. , Leandro‐Silva Victor , Claramunt Santiago , Darski Bianca , Freeman Benjamin G. , Bregman Tom P. , Cooney Christopher R. , Hughes Emma C. , Capp Elliot J. R. , Varley Zoë K. , Friedman Nicholas R. , Korntheuer Heiko , Corrales‐Vargas Andrea , Trisos Christopher H. , Weeks Brian C. , Hanz Dagmar M. , Töpfer Till , Bravo Gustavo A. , Remeš Vladimír , Nowak Larissa , Carneiro Lincoln S. , Moncada R. Amilkar J. , Matysioková Beata , Baldassarre Daniel T. , Martínez‐Salinas Alejandra , Wolfe Jared D. , Chapman Philip M. , Daly Benjamin G. , Sorensen Marjorie C. , Neu Alexander , Ford Michael A. , Mayhew Rebekah J. , Fabio Silveira Luis , Kelly David J. , Annorbah Nathaniel N. D. , Pollock Henry S. , Grabowska‐Zhang Ada M. , McEntee Jay P. , Carlos T. Gonzalez Juan , Meneses Camila G. , Muñoz Marcia C. , Powell Luke L. , Jamie Gabriel A. , Matthews Thomas J. , Johnson Oscar , Brito Guilherme R. R. , Zyskowski Kristof , Crates Ross , Harvey Michael G. , Jurado Zevallos Maura , Hosner Peter A. , Bradfer‐Lawrence Tom , Maley James M. , Stiles F. Gary , Lima Hevana S. , Provost Kaiya L. , Chibesa Moses , Mashao Mmatjie , Howard Jeffrey T. , Mlamba Edson , Chua Marcus A. H. , Li Bicheng , Gómez M. Isabel , García Natalia C. , Päckert Martin , Fuchs Jérôme , Ali Jarome R. , Derryberry Elizabeth P. , Carlson Monica L. , Urriza Rolly C. , Brzeski Kristin E. , Prawiradilaga Dewi M. , Rayner Matt J. , Miller Eliot T. , Bowie Rauri C. K. , Lafontaine René‐Marie , Scofield R. Paul , Lou Yingqiang , Somarathna Lankani , Lepage Denis , Illif Marshall , Neuschulz Eike Lena , Templin Mathias , Dehling D. Matthias , Cooper Jacob C. , Pauwels Olivier S. G. , Analuddin Kangkuso , Fjeldså Jon , Seddon Nathalie , Sweet Paul R. , DeClerck Fabrice A. J. , Naka Luciano N. , Brawn Jeffrey D. , Aleixo Alexandre , Böhning‐Gaese Katrin , Rahbek Carsten , Fritz Susanne A. , Thomas Gavin H. , Schleuning Matthias 
Published: February 2022

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species‐level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity.