Estimates of bird collision mortality at wind facilities in the contiguous United States

Science Direct ^ | December 2013 | Scott R. Loss, Tom Will, Peter P. Marra

[CedarDave]

Abstract

Wind energy has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels, yet the impacts of wind facilities on wildlife remain unclear. Prior studies estimate between 10,000 and 573,000 fatal bird collisions with U.S. wind turbines annually; however, these studies do not differentiate between turbines with a monopole tower and those with a lattice tower, the former of which now comprise the vast majority of all U.S. wind turbines and the latter of which are largely being de-commissioned. We systematically derived an estimate of bird mortality for U.S. monopole turbines by applying inclusion criteria to compiled studies, identifying correlates of mortality, and utilizing a predictive model to estimate mortality along with uncertainty. Despite measures taken to increase analytical rigor, the studies we used may provide a non-random representation of all data; requiring industry reports to be made publicly available would improve understanding of wind energy impacts. Nonetheless, we estimate that between 140,000 and 328,000 (mean = 234,000) birds are killed annually by collisions with monopole turbines in the contiguous U.S. We found support for an increase in mortality with increasing turbine hub height and support for differing mortality rates among regions, with per turbine mortality lowest in the Great Plains. Evaluation of risks to birds is warranted prior to continuing a widespread shift to taller wind turbines. Regional patterns of collision risk, while not obviating the need for species-specific and local-scale assessments, may inform broad-scale decisions about wind facility siting.

[CedarDave]

Highlights:

• We estimate bird mortality at monopole wind turbines in the contiguous U.S.
• Between 140,000 and 328,000 birds are killed annually at monopole turbines.
• Mortality increases with increasing height of monopole turbines.
• Mortality rates appear to be lower in the Great Plains relative to other regions.

An older article but very relevant to today's bird mortality.

More current article published September 22 regarding migratory bat mortality: Oregon State study says wind turbines threaten migrating bats

[TigersEye]

Thanks, #EcoTerrorists!

[rktman]

Couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the decline in bird populations could it? Nah. That was DDT.

[CedarDave]

Article from earlier today:

2.9 Billion Bird Deaths Linked to Solar, Wind

[Pontiac]

Couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the decline in bird populations could it? Nah. That was DDT.

I am no fan of wind turbines but the biggest killer of small birds, especially song birds, is feral house cats.

Wind turbines get the blame for killing raptors.

[This_Dude]

I repair wind turbines for a living. I never see dead birds surrounding the turbines. HOW are they dying exactly?

[The Great RJ]

Bald eagles and other endangered or threatened bird species are almost certainly in this count of bird deaths from wind turbines. Imagine any other type of project, especially a conventional power plant, that would ever get environmental approvals for construction projecting this kind of damage to bird life. Obviously environmentalists are looking the other way when these approvals are given.

[rktman]

We got coyotes keep in cats down around us.

[MrEdd]

Oh bullcrap.

The biggest killer of small birds is the same biggest killer as every other animal in nature.

It is starvation. They outstrip the food supply.

[gundog]

DDT.

I’m sure you meant DJT. I hear he hates birds.

[MrEdd]

Also the chihuahuas, the poodles...

[Dr.Deth]

These are the days where “environmentalists” want to choke plants by limiting the CO2 they breathe, and kill birds with giant sky cuisinarts.

[READINABLUESTATE]

” I repair wind turbines for a living. I never see dead birds surrounding the turbines. HOW are they dying exactly?”

I’m no expert, but could coyotes and other scavengers clean them up?

[Osage Orange]

I live in an area that has many Wintering Eagles....

Some are year round....

The closest wind field was given an exemption..or a quota?? Of how many Bald Eagles...it could kill every year.

I kid you not!!

[Osage Orange]

Not to mention what it’s doing to the bat population.

[Osage Orange]

Many wind “farms” have people to pick the birds on the ground up..regularly.

[Old Yeller]

Bird blenders

[I want the USA back]

Suppressed by the media.

[chiller]

Bingo...it’s a stain on the enterprise to be anti-environment. What would look worse than a pike of dead birds ? Keeps ‘em below the quota.

[Jim Noble]

“Wind energy has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels”

When the first half of the first sentence is a lie, you don’t need to read the rest.