This dataset reviews key behavioural and physiological traits of four species of seabirds: Common guillemot Uria aalge; Razorbill Alca torda; Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica; and Black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. These data describe the daily time allocation to and energetic costs of core activities and other energetically important processes of seabirds during chick-rearing-an energetically demanding period with important implications for population demography. The purpose of this dataset is to collate and standardise important energetic and demographic parameters to underpin energetic, behavioural and demographic modelling analyses for key seabird species. Data primarily correspond to measurements of seabirds breeding in the UK. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/07b1105a-4a14-47e3-b491-9af59be90aff
