by Mick Sagrillo
Wind Energy Specialist
Focus on Energy
Despite sophisticated advances in wind turbine siting and equipment design over the last twenty years, rumors persist that wind turbines are dangerous bird killers. Active wind turbine opponents continue to promote this erroneous idea as evidence that construction of wind turbine projects should be halted. Bird watchers, environmentalists and the general public remain confused. As a source of renewable energy, wind turbines should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. But do wind generators really kill birds, especially declining, rare and protected species? Does wind generation as a technology represent a serious risk to the general bird population?
BIRD DEATHS FROM HUMAN CAUSES
Birds do collide with wind turbines, just as they do with other tall human-made structures. However, it should also be clear that by far the largest causes of mortality among birds include loss of habitat due to human infringement, environmental despoliation and collisions with other human-made objects. The vast grid of utility transmission and distribution lines in the United States is responsible for 130 million to 174 million bird deaths per year. Many victims are raptors, waterfowl and other large birds, electrocuted when their wings bridge two hot wires. Other birds are killed by colliding with the lines. One report states: “For some types of birds, power line collisions appear to be a significant source of mortality.”
Bird collisions with buildings and houses are also significant. There are five million tall buildings in U.S. cities. Some have been documented as being continual hazards for night-migrating birds. Although most of the 100 million houses in the U.S. are in towns and cities, most residential bird collisions occur in rural areas.
There are no ongoing studies of this phenomenon, but the best estimates put bird deaths from structural collisions at between 100 million and a staggering one billion deaths annually.
Lighted communication towers have been found to be highly dangerous for birds, particularly at night. One study concludes, “It is apparent from the analysis of the data that significant numbers of birds are dying in collisions with communication towers, their guy wires, and related structures.” Another report states: “The main environmental problem we are watching out for with telecommunication towers is the death of birds and bats.”
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