Birds

A broad term that applies to all species of birds.

Birds are a group of endothermic vertebrates characterized by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong, lightweight skeleton. With approximately ten thousand species, birds rank as the class of tetrapods with the most living species, with more than half of those being passerines.

Collision with wind turbine blades can kill birds, though the impact of individual deaths on the greater population varies greatly based on species. Research continues to explore mitigation such as operation limitations, siting location, and lighting selection. Bird collisions with offshore wind turbines present an additional challenge of being unable to count bodies to determine the scale of mortality. Marine renewable energy devices likely pose little threat to diving birds colliding with tidal turbines, or birds colliding with floating wave energy devices. Birds are classified in the following categories:

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Birds.

Total: 2754

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Review of Aberdeen Bay Collision Monitoring Data Cook, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Mapping avian sensitivity to support onshore wind energy development and bird conservation in two European countries Biasotto, L., Serratosa, J., Clark, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
PrePARED Annual Report 2025 Marine Scotland, University of Aberdeen, SMRU Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
An individual-based model to quantify the non-breeding season impact of wind farms on seabirds Buckingham, L., Masden, E. , Layton-Matthews, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Displacement Birds, Seabirds
Long-Term Decline in Bird Collisions at Operational Wind Farms: Evidence from Systematic Monitoring to Support Sustainable Wind Energy Development (2010–2024) Yordanov, N., Zehtindjiev, P., Whitfield, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Bird and bat mortality at wind farms in South America: Lessons from monitoring and mitigation practices in Chile Santander, F., Morant, J., Perez-Garcia, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Assessment of seabird vulnerability to offshore wind farms in China Cheng, C., Yao, W., He, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds
Quantifying uncertainty (WP3): DisNBS – Effects of displacement from Offshore Renewable Developments in the nonbreeding season ORJIP Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Displacement Birds
Environmental Effects Monitoring Program 2025 Annual Report Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) Report Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Floating Offshore Wind Dynamic Cable EMF Environmental Review ORE Catapult, Evolv Energies, St Abbs Marine Station Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind EMF Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
German Bird Study Finds 99% Avoid Turbines, SunZia Progress Hall, A., Barnes, R., Saxum, J. Wind Energy Collision Birds
High-resolution multi-sensor technology reveals low collision risk to seabirds in offshore wind farms Skov, H., Tjørnløv, R., Armitage, D. Journal Article Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds
System Dynamics And Performance Prediction Of A Wind-Powered Acoustic Bird Deterrent System Ufuouma, O., Ekenna, E., Maxwell, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Modelling population-level impacts of wind farm collision risk on Welsh Red Kites: populations functionally linked to two Special Protection Areas Hereward, H., Macgregor, C., Gabb, O. Report Wind Energy Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
The occurrence and breeding success of Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata and Black-throated Loon Gavia arctica in the vicinity of land-based wind turbines Eriksson, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement Birds
Large-scale mapping of nocturnal bird migration to accelerate a nature-inclusive energy transition Hoekstra, B., Kranstauber, B., Bradaric, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds
Uncertainty and approaches to evaluating uncertainty (WP1): AssESs - Assessing the extent and significance of uncertainty in offshore wind assessments Furness, R.W., Searle, K., Jones, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Recommendations and Roadmap (WP4): AssESs - Assessing the extent and significance of uncertainty in offshore wind assessments Butler, A., Lorenzo-Arribas, A., Hague, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
The Poseidon Wind Farm: Bird Migration at Skagen and The West Coast Of Sweden – Spring 2024 Christensen, T., Bladt, J., Petersen, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Summary report of sensitivity analysis (WP2): AssESs - Assessing the extent and significance of uncertainty in offshore wind assessments Butler, A., Matthiopoulos, J., Lorenzo-Arribas, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Summary report of stakeholder engagement (WP3): AssESs - Assessing the extent and significance of uncertainty in offshore wind assessments Hague, A., Miller, S.C., Jones, E.L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Review of methods used to calculate scale of artificial nesting structures proposed as a compensation measure for Kittiwake mortality at offshore wind farms Rhoades, J., Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Impacts on birds from offshore wind farms in Australia: An ecological risk assessment Reid, K., Baker, G.B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds
ProcBe Annual Report No.2: Year 2 The Crown Estate Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Projected changes to the extent and seasonality of seabird habitat in the California current and implications for marine spatial planning Gasbarro, R., Ainley, D., Andrews, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
The Wind of Change: Mapping Wind Energy Growth and Multi-Species Vulnerability in Sardinia, Mediterranean Costantino, C., Cerri, J., Fozzi, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
The collision risk of migrating birds at wind farms: Final report VolZug project Liedtke, J., Bruneaux, M., Girndt, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Lighting Birds
Modelling of kittiwake metapopulation dynamics (MetaKitti) Technical Report Matthiopoulos, J., Jeglinski, J., Miller, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Case-dependent impacts of offshore wind farms on ecosystems: A systematic review and meta-analysis Thomassen, J., Brown, E., Henriksen, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Overview of the potential ecological impacts of three offshore locations for wind farms in Aotearoa New Zealand McKinlay, B., van Helden, A., Taylor, G. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Modelling of kittiwake metapopulation dynamics (MetaKitti) Summary Report Matthiopoulos, J., Jeglinski, J., Miller, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
New frontiers in wind-wildlife monitoring systems Dempsey, L., Clerc, J., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
Baseline surveys of Birds, Bats and Marine Mammals in areas for Offshore Wind Farms in the Danish North Sea (North Sea I): Bats – Baseline surveys 2023-2025 North Sea I Brinkløv, S., Smeele, S., Uebel, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds
Foraging areas of coastal and offshore seabirds in the Dutch North Sea - An analysis of survey and tracking data Madden, H., van Bemmelen, R., van der Have, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Changes in the distribution and abundance of common scoter and diver species in the Horns Rev I, II and III offshore windfarm areas, Denmark, 2025 Scott-Hayward, L., Petersen, I., Mackenzie, M. Report Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds
Biodiversity biases in research and practice: Lessons from the Irish onshore wind sector King, E., Gorman, C., Stout, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions
Offshore surveys of Birds, Bats and Marine Mammals for Offshore Wind Farms in Danish Waters, North Sea I for Year 2 Petersen, I., Thomsen, H., Scott-Hayward, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Wind Energy Interactions with Wildlife Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Based on the State of the Science Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Noise Bats, Birds
3rd Edition: Summary of Bird Fatality Monitoring Data Contained in AWWIC Schauber, E., Butryn, R., Felton, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Baseline surveys of Birds, Bats and Marine Mammals in areas for Offshore Wind Farms in the Danish North Sea (North Sea I) Brinkløv, S., Smeele, S., Uebel, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Displaying 1 - 40 of 2754 results