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Wind Power News: Wildlife
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Flying blind: Why gulls may not see what’s coming
New research reveals that visual field blind spots put gulls at risk of fatal collisions with turbines and power lines. In the ever-shifting skies above sea and shore, gulls have long been masters of their domain. But a study, published in Ibis, suggests that their evolutionary prowess in foraging may carry a hidden vulnerability: they might be flying blind – quite literally – into the path of danger. Researchers Jennifer Cantlay, Steven Portugal, and Graham Martin meticulously examined the visual . . . Complete story »
Accusées d’avoir tué des oiseaux protégés, des éoliennes d’EDF devant la justice en Hérault
[Accused of killing protected birds, EDF wind turbines face justice in Hérault – France Nature Environnement accuses EDF of “destruction of protected species” after dozens of lesser kestrel carcasses were found at the foot of wind turbines in the Causse d’Aumelas facility in Hérault.] L’association France Nature Environnement accuse EDF de « destruction d’espèces protégées », après que des dizaines de cadavres de faucons crécerellettes ont été retrouvés au pied d’éoliennes du parc du Causse d’Aumelas, dans l’Hérault. Un busard cendré passe sous . . . Complete story »
Wind farms whacking wildlife in South Africa
A recent report on the bird fatalities caused by wind farms shows that the alternative energy source significantly impacts birdlife, with many plants failing to mitigate this, the Sunday Times reports. The report, conducted by BirdLife South Africa across 33 of the 35 wind farms nationwide over eight years ending in 2023, found 2,444 dead birds from over 200 species. Of these dead birds, ten per cent were those of species of conservation. BirdLife points out that South Africa currently . . . Complete story »
Chilean fauna in danger due to wind farms
With its 6,435 kilometers of coastline, Chile has great potential for wind energy, which is key to its commitment to decarbonization. The country has 4,517 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in wind farms, distributed across dozens of installations throughout the territory. The sound of these wind farms, similar to the constant roar of an airplane about to land, can become overwhelming for those who spend time near the massive blades. The shadow of the blades casts changing patterns on the . . . Complete story »
Greenpeace co-founder says group is betraying its principles by peddling junk science as whales die
Since 2016, when acoustic sonar surveys required for the construction of 1,500 wind turbines began on the U.S. Atlantic coast, 174 humpback whales have washed ashore dead. This represents a 400% increase in mortality from previous years. And then there are the highly endangered North Atlantic right whales, of which less than 400 exist today. They recovered somewhat after being hunted to near extinction in the 1930s, but now they are thought to be declining. Federal government agencies such as . . . Complete story »
Wind farms are killing bats in Nova Scotia, say researchers
Three migratory bat species were recommended for Canada’s species at risk list because of wind turbines. With many wind farms under development in Nova Scotia, experts say extra caution is needed to protect migratory bats from being killed by wind turbine blades. The hoary bat, the silver-haired bat, and the eastern red bat were recommended for Canada’s species at risk list in 2023 due to wind turbine fatalities. Researchers advocate that the three bat species be officially added to the . . . Complete story »
Study measures seabirds’ habitat loss as a result of wind turbines
A Wageningen Marine Research study shows that razorbills and guillemots on the North Sea avoid wind parks in their flight path. The study uses a new statistical method to determine the effect of wind parks on the spatial distribution of seabirds. The rapid growth of offshore wind parks in the North Sea necessitates a better understanding of the impact of wind turbines on marine species. The classical method was for researchers to conduct a census of the bird population in . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines impair the access of bats to water bodies in agricultural landscapes
Summary: Bats depend on open bodies of water such as small ponds and lakes for foraging and drinking. Access to water is particularly important for survival in the increasingly hot and dry summers caused by climate change, the time when female bats are pregnant and rear their young. A scientific team has now shown that access to drinking sites is hampered by wind turbines in agricultural landscapes: Many bat species avoid the turbines and water bodies located close to the . . . Complete story »
World-first Monash study shows bird flight paths through two proposed Bass Strait wind farms
A world-first study of birds migrating across Bass Strait has shown they travelled directly through zones earmarked for the federal government’s two declared offshore wind farms. Monash University researchers studying Tasmanian Boobook owls have become the first to examine flight migration paths from Victoria to Tasmania, tracking the birds via satellite to map their over-water journeys. The findings, published today in the peer-reviewed journal Emu – Austral Ornithology, highlight the importance of Bass Strait as a flyway for land birds . . . Complete story »
Protecting cave bats: Wisconsin DNR proposes wind turbine restrictions
Wisconsin’s cave bats are in rapid decline. Now the DNR is looking at new restrictions on wind turbines to help save the bats. Cave bats serve an important role in Wisconsin’s ecosystem by eating biting insects and other pests, but they’re also under threat. “Unfortunately, when you have a bat that’s very tiny, that gets hit by a very large turbine blade, they end up dying,” Stacy Rowe, a conservation biologist at the Wisconsin DNR said. The fungal disease white-nose . . . Complete story »
