Data from: Global patterns and gaps in the study of terrestrial birds and mammals’ use of freshwater sources: A mapping review

Water availability strongly influences the ecology of terrestrial birds
and mammals. It will likely play an increasing role as a limiting factor
as climate change and human demand make water availability scarcer.
However, we lack a knowledge synthesis describing our current
understanding of the use of water sources, particularly for wildlife
hydration. To provide a comprehensive overview of the available research
regarding the utilization of water bodies as hydration sources by
terrestrial birds and mammals, we conducted a mapping review based on an
extensive search of papers in the Web of Science and Scopus databases
published up to 2022. We compiled 181 papers that met our inclusion
criteria. Earlier papers date back to 1965, but a stable production was
not reached until 2005, and significant growth since 2015. The USA,
Mexico, and Zimbabwe had the most published papers. Studies were
concentrated in areas with a mean annual precipitation lower than 1000 mm,
predominantly deserts and xeric shrublands, as well as tropical and
subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands. Studies heavily focused
on mammals and less frequently included birds and mammals, with an
overrepresentation of least concern species for both groups. Very few
studies focused on water sources in the canopy, and even fewer compared
surface vs. arboreal water sources. Cameras and direct observations were
the main methods to document wildlife’s water use. Attention to water use
by birds and mammals shows an increasing trend; however, given the
globalized reduction of water availability and quality, it is urgent to
widen the scope of studies to include a greater variety of habitat types,
water sources, and animal species. Such an increase in scope is necessary
to unravel the magnitude of the impacts reductions in water availability
can have in the short and long term for wildlife viability.