Bat Behavior in Relation to Wind Turbines: Attraction Hypotheses and Avoidance Behaviors

Wind turbines in a forest

Several studies have documented bats exhibiting either attraction or avoidance behaviors near wind farms or wind turbines. In some cases, bats frequently approach wind turbines, possibly to investigate structures such as the tower or blades. While multiple hypotheses exist based on behaviors such as foraging, roosting, or mating, no single explanation fits all species or conditions. Environmental factors like prey availability, habitat type, and wind conditions also shape behavioral responses. For example, the common noctules (Nyctalus noctula) and hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) may perceive turbines as potential roosting sites, foraging areas, or locations for mating or other social interactions, increasing collision risk. In contrast, several species of Myotis and the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) may avoid wind turbines because of habitat changes or operational noise. Understanding these patterns is vital for developing mitigation strategies that support both bat conservation and renewable energy goals.

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The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Impacts of offshore wind farms on migratory bats in British waters Hooker, J., Lintott, P., Boughey, K., Worledge, L., Park, K., Collins, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Lighting Bats
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
Floating Offshore Wind Energy Infrastructure Nielsen, K., Robertson, B., Sierman, J., Sliger, J., Kruse, S., Burright, J., Douville, T., Cooperman, A., Copping, A., Farr, H., Barth, J., Raghukumar, K., Adams, G., Escajeda, E. , Jacobson, A., Kramer, S., Severy, M., Henkel, S., Newton, K., Chapple, T. , Heppell, S. , Heppel, S. , Davis, L., Hazboun, S., Boudet, H. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Avoidance & Minimisation of Environmental Impacts from Offshore Wind & Grid Infrastructure Offshore Coalition For Energy & Nature (OCEaN) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), US Department of the Interior (DOI) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
AB 525 Offshore Wind Strategic Plan Jones, M., Bartridge, J., Walker, L. Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Distribution of common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) activity is altered by airflow disruption generated by wind turbines Leroux, C., Barre, K., Valet, N., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance Bats
A framework for studying the effects of offshore wind energy development on birds and bats in the Eastern United States Williams, K., Gulka, J., Cook, A., Diehl, R., Farnsworth, A., Goyert, H., Hein, C., Loring, P., Mizrahi, D., Petersen, I., Peterson, T., Press, K., Stenhouse, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
Wozep Ecological Programme: Knowledge day Wozep/MONS 2024 Offshore Wind Ecological Programme (Wozep) Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Integrated Science Plan for Offshore Wind, Wildlife, and Habitat in U.S. Atlantic Waters Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC) Webpage Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Maritime Spatial Planning in Europe: Discussion Paper on the Challenges and Potential Opportunities Around the Colocation of Offshore Wind Energy with Marine Protected Areas Stephenson, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
2023 North American State of the Bats Report Bat Conservation International Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Suivi environnemental 2022: Suivi de la mortalité - Parc éolien de la Vallée de Torfou Habert, T., Yann, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines, Raptors
Distance to hedgerows drives local repulsion and attraction of wind turbines on bats: Implications for spatial siting Leroux, C., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I., Valet, N., Barre, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats
A Miniature Radio-Frequency Transmitter for Environmental Permitting and Mitigation of Wind Energy Deng, D., Lu, J., Duberstein, C., Whitbread, H., Martinez, J., Wu, B., Li, H., Fu, T., Myjak, M., Li, X., Xiao, J. Presentation Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
A Review of Biodiversity Data Needs and Monitoring Protocols for the Offshore Wind Energy Sector in the Baltic Sea and North Sea Stephenson, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality
Land-Based Wind Energy Siting: A Foundational and Technical Resource Christol, C., Oteri, F., Laurienti, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Research Goals for Studying Bat Behavior at the Wind Turbine-scale Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative (BWEC) Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Peaks in bat activity at turbines and the implications for mitigating the impact of wind energy developments on bats Richardson, S., Lintott, P., Hosken, D., Economou, T., Mathews, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
ThermalTracker-3D: A thermal stereo vision system for quantifying bird and bat activity at offshore wind energy sites Matzner, S., Warfel, T., Hull, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance Bats, Birds
Influence of landscape and time of year on bat-wind turbines collision risks Roemer, C., Bas, Y., Disca, T., Coulon, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E., Beston, J., Drake, D., Hale, A., Hein, C., Huso, M., Loss, S., Lovich, J., Strickland, M., Williams, K., Winder, V. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Floating Offshore Wind Energy Technology: Innovation to Commercialization Northeastern University Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats, Birds
Estimating habitat loss due to wind turbine avoidance by bats: Implications for European siting guidance Barre, K., Le Viol, I., Bas, Y., Julliard, R., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Impacts of onshore wind energy production on birds and bats: recommendations for future life cycle impact assessment developments Laranjeiro, T., May, R., Verones, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Assessing and Managing Effect Spheres of Influence Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B., Vigin, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Bird and Bat Species' Global Vulnerability to Collision Mortality at Wind Farms Revealed Through a Trait-Based Assessment Thaxter, C., Buchanan, G., Carr, J., Butchart, S., Newbold, T., Green, R., Tobias, J., Foden, W., O'Brien, S., Pearce-Higgins, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
Acoustic mirrors as sensory traps for bats Greif, S., Zsebok, S. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Project Icebreaker Bird and Bat Risk Analysis Gordon, C., Erickson, W. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement Bats, Birds
The Impacts of Small and Medium Wind Turbines on Bats Moyle, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Framework for Testing the Effectiveness of Bat and Eagle Impact-Reduction Strategies at Wind Energy Projects Sinclair, K., DeGeorge, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Raptors, Birds, Bats
Impacts to Birds and Bats Due to Collisions and Electrocutions from Some Tall Structures in the United States: Wires, Towers, Turbines, and Solar Arrays - State of the Art in Addressing the Problems Manville, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds, Bats
Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Environmental impact monitoring reloaded Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B., Vigin, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
How to Mitigate Impacts of Wind Farms on Bats? A Review of Potential Conservation Measures in the European Context Peste, F., Paula, A., Pinto da Silva, P., Bernardino, J., Pereira, P., Mascarenhas, M., Costa, H., Vieira, J., Bastos, C., Fonseca, C., Pereira, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Behavior of Bats at Wind Turbines Cryan, P., Gorresen, P., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Diehl, R., Huso, M., Hayman, D., Fricker, P., Bonaccorso, F., Johnson, D., Heist, K., Dalton, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement Bats
Interspecific effects of forest fragmentation on bats Segers, J., Broders, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
Construction and Post-Construction Avian and Bat Monitoring Plan Block Island Wind Farm Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment
Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Bats: Implications for Conservation Arnett, E., Baerwald, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Ultrasonic Acoustic Deterrent for Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Turbines Arnett, E., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Huso, M., Szewczak, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Effectiveness of an Operational Mitigation Experiment to Reduce Bat Fatalities at the Pinnacle Wind Farm, Mineral County, West Virginia, 2012 Hein, C., Prichard, A., Mabee, T., Schirmacher, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
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