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 x..., , , # Global patterns and gaps in the study of terrestrial birds and mammals use of freshwater sources: A mapping review

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8pk0p2p03](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8pk0p2p03)

## Description of the data and file structure

This database contains the articles that met all the inclusion criteria for a mapping review on using freshwater sources by terrestrial birds and mammals. The review aims to synthesize global research on how these animal groups utilize water bodies, particularly for hydration, in the context of climate change and increasing water scarcity. The dataset includes bibliographic information and study characteristics for 181 papers published up to 2022, sourced from Web of Science and Scopus.

### Files and variables

#### File: Database.xlsx

**Description**: The file contains bibliographic information and study characteristics for 181 paperson the use of freshwater sources by terrestrial birds and mammals.

| **Variable** | **Expla...,