Wind turbines lethal to rare birds
The Independent, www.independent.co.uk 12 June 2012
Mike Comiskey (Letters, 9 June) appears to imply that bird deaths due to turbines are acceptable because domestic cats (“according to the RSPB”) and cars kill more birds than wind turbines. This is not a convincing argument.
When quoting the RSPB, Mr Comiskey fails to mention that the RSPB also states that there is no evidence that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations in the UK. The RSPB does, however, believe that poorly sited wind turbines can have a significant impact on (and threaten) bird populations.
Bird-death numbers should be considered in context, ie by species, population size, conservation status. It would then become apparent that wind turbines target a wholly different set of species to domestic cats (or cars). When did your cat last bring a whooper swan, golden eagle, hen harrier or curlew through the cat flap?
Sarah Manchester
Kendal, Cumbria
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/12/wind-turbines-lethal-to-rare-birds/