Gbif

Get Occurrences

get_occurrences

Read-onlyIdempotent

Get georeferenced observation records for a species with coordinates, dates, and sources. Pass either name (a scientific name like "Danaus plexippus" — resolved automatically) or a numeric GBIF backbone key. Filter by country code (e.g., 'US', 'BR', 'AU') to narrow results geographically.

Example tool call

This call uses example arguments supplied in the tool’s input schema.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "key": 2436436,
      "limit": 100
    },
    "name": "get_occurrences"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`key`	No	GBIF backbone taxon key (integer), e.g. 5133088. Alternative to `name`.
`name`	No	Scientific name, e.g. "Danaus plexippus". Resolved to a GBIF backbone taxon key automatically. Use this unless you already hold a key.
`limit`	No	Maximum records to return (1-300, default 20)
`country`	No	ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code to filter occurrences (e.g., "US", "DE")

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`total`	Yes	Total number of occurrence records
`taxon_key`	No	GBIF backbone taxon key the query actually used
`occurrences`	Yes	Array of occurrence records
`end_of_records`	Yes	Whether all available records have been returned
`resolved_taxon`	No	Backbone taxon the name resolved to (null when a numeric key was supplied)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed5 schema fields changedJul 27, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / key / description

Previous value: -"GBIF taxon key (integer)"New value: +"GBIF backbone taxon key (integer), e.g. 5133088. Alternative to `name`."

addedInput schema / properties / name

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Scientific name, e.g. \"Danaus plexippus\". Resolved to a GBIF backbone taxon key automatically. Use this unless you already hold a key.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

changedInput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "key"
-]New value: +[]

addedOutput schema / properties / resolved_taxon

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Backbone taxon the name resolved to (null when a numeric key was supplied)",
+  "properties": {
+    "key": {
+      "description": "GBIF backbone taxon key",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "match_type": {
+      "description": "GBIF match confidence type, e.g. EXACT or FUZZY",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "rank": {
+      "description": "Taxonomic rank of the match",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    },
+    "scientific_name": {
+      "description": "Accepted scientific name",
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "null"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "type": [
+    "object",
+    "null"
+  ]
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / taxon_key

Added value: +{
+  "description": "GBIF backbone taxon key the query actually used",
+  "type": "number"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 8, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "end_of_records": {
+      "description": "Whether all available records have been returned",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "occurrences": {
+      "description": "Array of occurrence records",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "basis_of_record": {
+            "description": "Type of record (specimen, observation, etc.)",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "catalog_number": {
+            "description": "Catalog number in collection",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "collection": {
+            "description": "Collection code within institution",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "country": {
+            "description": "Country where occurrence was recorded",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "event_date": {
+            "description": "Date of occurrence observation",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "institution": {
+            "description": "Institution code maintaining the record",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "key": {
+            "description": "GBIF occurrence key identifier",
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "latitude": {
+            "description": "Decimal latitude coordinate",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "locality": {
+            "description": "Specific locality description",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "longitude": {
+            "description": "Decimal longitude coordinate",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "scientific_name": {
+            "description": "Scientific name recorded for occurrence",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "state_province": {
+            "description": "State or province of occurrence",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "key",
+          "scientific_name",
+          "latitude",
+          "longitude",
+          "country",
+          "state_province",
+          "locality",
+          "event_date",
+          "basis_of_record",
+          "institution",
+          "collection",
+          "catalog_number"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "total": {
+      "description": "Total number of occurrence records",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "total",
+    "end_of_records",
+    "occurrences"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "key": 2436436,
+    "limit": 100
+  },
+  {
+    "country": "US",
+    "key": 2436436,
+    "limit": 50
+  }
+]

First observedApr 14, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare the tool as read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond that, such as automatic name resolution and the ability to narrow results geographically. It does not contradict any annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is concise and front-loaded: the first sentence states the primary purpose, the second explains the alternative identifier inputs, and the third covers the optional filter. No unnecessary words or redundant information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With a rich output schema and annotations, the description covers the essential usage aspects. However, it does not specify what happens if neither `name` nor `key` is provided, which could be ambiguous given that no parameters are required. This minor gap prevents a perfect score.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema already provides 100% description coverage for all parameters, giving a baseline of 3. The description adds value by clarifying the either/or relationship between `name` and `key` and illustrating usage with examples, which goes beyond the individual parameter descriptions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's function: retrieving georeferenced observation records for a species, including coordinates, dates, and sources. This distinguishes it from sibling tools like get_species (taxon info) and occurrences_near (spatial proximity) by specifying the resource and data type.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides clear usage context: it explains the two alternative input modes (`name` or `key`) and the optional country filter. However, it does not explicitly mention when to prefer this tool over siblings or any exclusions, so it falls short of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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