Supplementary Data 1. Annotated dataset of flamingo stamping behavior: Ecological and environmental correlates

This dataset compiles records of modern biogenic structures (lebensspuren) associated with stamping behavior in flamingos (Mirandornithes, Phoenicopteridae) across a wide range of environmental settings. The dataset is intended for immediate use as supplementary material to a manuscript investigating the environmental contexts of stamping behavior in flamingos, aiming to evaluate whether the resulting biogenic structures can serve as reliable proxies for paleoenvironmental inference. The data span from the 18th to the 21st century and were gathered from both peer-reviewed scientific literature and video records available through citizen science collaborative platforms. Each entry documents behavioral categories such as stamping, rotating stamping, dislocating stampamg, false stamping and standing stamping, classified by flamingo species and contextualized with environmental, hydrological, and sedimentological descriptors (e.g., sediment type, salinity, pH, and Köppen climate classification). Geographic locality and full references are also provided, when available. The dataset was developed to support comparative analyses of behavioral-environmental patterns across different flamingo species and to offer a synthetic overview of the family Phoenicopteridae in terms of behavioral trace formation and associated environmental variables. Additionally, it was designed to facilitate direct comparison with the distribution of the flamingo ichnological fossil record, enabling evaluations of inferred paleoenvironmental associations based on trace fossil occurrences. This resource is particularly useful for researchers interested in:

• The analysis of modern biogenic structures and their preservation potential in various sedimentary contexts;
• Behavioral studies of flamingos and their interactions with diverse environments;
• Applications in comparative ichnology and paleoenvironmental reconstructions;
• Flamingo foraging adaptations and role as ecosystem engineers.

As limitations of this dataset, we cite: 1) some data fields contain “Unknown” where source information was incomplete or ambiguous; 2) video sources may vary in quality, framing, and metadata consistency; 3) behavioral labels may involve some interpretative judgment; 4) bias toward P. roseus due to greater research focus on this species; 5) some historical records lack precise coordinates or environmental details. While every effort was made to ensure environmental variables (e.g., water depth, salinity, temperature, tide cycle, etc.) reflect the conditions under which the flamingo behavior was observed, not all references for these environmental variables are directly linked to the exact day of the behavioral event. In some cases, environmental context was inferred from secondary sources describing the same locality or general time period. Users are encouraged to consider this when performing fine-scale temporal analyses or drawing conclusions that rely on day-level environmental accuracy.

If you use this dataset, please cite the original works from which the data were compiled, as well as this figshare repository.