Flight Initiation Distance Data for Red-Billed Gulls across Urban and Rural Sites in Otago, New Zealand

This dataset supports the study “Fear Responses in a Threatened Seabird: Habitat and Landscape Contexts Influence Flight Initiation Distance in Red-Billed Gulls.” It includes field observations of flight initiation distance (FID) recorded for Red-Billed Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus) across three sites in Otago, New Zealand: urban Dunedin, urban Oamaru, and rural Taiaroa Head. Variables include age class (adult, juvenile, flock), habitat type, location, date, and FID values in meters. The data were collected under research permits from the Department of Conservation and University of Otago and are provided to support transparency, reproducibility, and further research in behavioural ecology and urban wildlife studies.