Abstract
From 2006 to 2008 (pre-post approach and additional reference) the impact of a wind farm in the northern Black Forest on the woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) was investigated by synchronized census. The aerial display activity of woodcocks decreased by 88% between 2006 and 2008 at the 15 study sites. The differences between 2006 (before construction of the wind energy plants) and 2007 (after construction) respectively between 2006 and 2008 are highly significant (Kruskal-Wallis test: p ≤ 0.01), whereas the difference between 2007 and 2008 is not significant (p > 0.05). In 2006 the number of male woodcocks in the investigation area has been estimated at about 30, based on the synchronized census. After the construction of the plants in 2007 and 2008 only 3 to 4 individuals used the investigation area. This represents a decrease in abundance from about 10.0 males / 100 hectares to about 1.2 males / 100 hectares. According to literature research this is the lowest population density for this species known so far from methodologically comparable studies.
The study addresses aspects of species protection and environmental liability. The negative impacts of this local wind energy project affect the species on a scale of 0.5 to 1.3% of its statewide population (federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg). The results lead to the conclusion that the woodcock has to be classified as species sensitive to wind energy plants, which has to be considered in the context of planning and evaluation of future projects.