Short Science Summary: European Migratory Soaring Birds and Wind Energy Development

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Some birds, such as raptors and vultures, have large wings relative to their body size, providing good lift in rising air currents. Soaring birds can sustain flight for long periods without flapping their wings, but are largely dependent on ascending currents resulting from the uneven warming of the Earth’s surface or the wind blowing over mountain ridges. Collisions of large soaring bird with wind turbines are of particular conservation concern, given that they are long-lived, have low reproductive rates with few eggs in each clutch, and invest considerable time in rearing their young. This summary represents a general overview of the research, produced by WREN under IEA Wind. 

Download the European Migratory Soaring Birds Short Science Summary

The table below contains the literature relevant to birds and wind energy development, and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys. A list of the sources used to develop this Short Science Summary is also available here.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Risks to different populations and age classes of gannets from impacts of offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea Pollock, C., Lane, J., Buckingham, L., Garthe, S., Jeavons, R., Furness, R., Hamer, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Life-cycle impacts of wind energy development on bird diversity in Norway May, R., Jackson, C., Middel, H., Stokke, B., Verones, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Environmental and seasonal correlates of capercaillie movement traits in a Swedish wind farm Kämmerle, J., Taubmann, J., Andrén, H., Fiedler, W., Coppes, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
When speed matters: The importance of flight speed in an avian collision risk model Masden, E., Cook, A., McCluskie, A., Bouten, W., Burton, N., Thaxter, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
A practical wind farm siting framework integrating ecosystem services — A case study of coastal China Xing, L., Wang, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions
A roadmap towards quantitative cumulative impact assessments: Every step of the way Piet, G., Tamis, J., Volwater, J., de Vries, P., van der Wal, J., Jongbloed, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Abundance and behavior of little egrets (Egretta garzetta) near an onshore wind farm in Chongming Dongtan, China Xu, H., Zhao, S., Song, N., Liu, N., Zhong, S., Wang, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Birds, Waterfowl
Commercial and Research Wind Lease and Grant Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf of the New York Bight Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Non-territorial GPS-tagged golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos at two Scottish wind farms: Avoidance influenced by preferred habitat distribution, wind speed and blade motion status Fielding, A., Anderson, D., Benn, S., Dennis, R., Geary, M., Weston, E., Whitfield, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Raptors
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, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Eagles enter rotor-swept zones of wind turbines at rates that vary per turbine McClure, C., Rolek, B., Braham, M., Miller, T., Duerr, A., McCabe, J., Dunn, L., Katzner, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Responses of dispersing GPS-tagged Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) to multiple wind farms across Scotland Fielding, A., Anderson, D., Benn, S., Dennis, R., Geary, M., Weston, E., Whitfield, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Raptors
Bird Workgroup Report for the State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy 2020: Cumulative Impacts Cook, A., Williams, K., Jenkins, E., Gulka, J., Liner, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Draft Preliminary Environmental Assessment: Vandenberg Offshore Wind Energy Projects California State Lands Commission Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Visual Impacts
Changes in flight paths of large-bodied birds after construction of large terrestrial wind turbines Therkildsen, O., Balsby, T., Kjeldsen, J., Nielsen, R., Bladt, J., Fox, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds
Modeling Small Scale Impacts of Multi-Purpose Platforms: An Ecosystem Approach Serpetti, N., Benjamins, S., Brain, S., Collu, M., Harvey, B., Heymans, J., Hughes, A., Risch, D., Rosinski, S., Waggitt, J., Wilson, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Environmental impacts of offshore wind installation, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning activities: A case study of Brazil Hernández Carrascal, O., Shadman, M., Amiri, M., Silva, C., Estefen, S., La Rovere, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals
Wind turbine event detection by support vector machine Hu, C., Albertani, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds
Migrating whooping cranes avoid wind-energy infrastructure when selecting stopover habitat Pearse, A., Metzger, K., Brandt, D., Shaffer, J., Bidwell, M., Harrell, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Shorebirds
No evidence of increased fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) due to wind turbines Coppes, J., Kämmerle, J., Grunschachner-Berger, V., Palme, R., Nopp-Mayr, U. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Assessing the effect of wind farms in fauna with a mathematical model Roman, P., Salinas, C., Araujo, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Demographic and potential biological removal models identify raptor species sensitive to current and future wind energy Diffendorfer, J., Stanton, J., Beston, J., Thogmartin, W., Loss, S., Katzner, T., Johnson, D., Erickson, R., Merrill, M., Corum, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Potential environmental effects of deepwater floating offshore wind energy facilities Farr, H., Ruttenberg, B., Walter, R., Wang, Y-H., White, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Entrapment, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
A pathway for citizen science data to inform policy: A case study using eBird data for defining low-risk collision areas for wind energy development Ruiz-Gutierrez, V., Bjerre, E., Otto, M., Zimmerman, S., Millsap, B., Fink, D., Stuber, E., Strimas-Mackey, M., Robinson, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Landscape features associated to wind farms increase mammalian predator abundance and ground-nest predation Gomez-Catasus, J., Barrero, A., Reverter, M., Bustillo-de la Rosa, D., Pérez-Granados, C., Traba, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Effects of wind farms on the nest distribution of magpie (Pica pica) in agroforestry systems of Chongming Island, China Song, N., Xu, H., Zhao, S., Liu, N., Zhong, S., Li, B., Wang, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Birds, Passerines
Post-construction bird and bat fatality monitoring studies at wind energy projects in Latin America: A summary and review Agudelo, S., Mabee, T., Palmer, R., Anderson, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Relative energy production determines effect of repowering on wildlife mortality at wind energy facilities Huso, M., Conkling, T., Dalthorp, D., Davis, M., Smith, H., Fesnock, A., Katzner, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Capercaillie and Wind Energy: An international research project Taubmann, J., Coppes, J., Andrén, H. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
State of the Science Workshop on Offshore Wind and Wildlife 2020: Cumulative Impacts NYSERDA Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Spatial and temporal analysis of cumulative environmental effects of offshore wind farms in the North Sea basin Gusatu, L., Menegon, S., Depellegrin, D., Zuidema, C., Faaij, A., Yamu, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
The biodiversity-wind energy-land use nexus in a global biodiversity hotspot Kati, V., Kassara, C., Vrontisi, Z., Moustakas, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
A critical review on environmental impacts of renewable energy systems and mitigation strategies: Wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal Sayad, E. , Wilberforce, T., Elsaid, K., Rabaia, M., Abdelkareem, M., Chae, K., Olabi, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Temporal Patterns in Offshore Bird Abundance During the Breeding Season at the Dutch North Sea Coast van Erp, J., Loon, E., Camphuysen, K., Shamoun-Baranes, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
An Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Extracting Marine Renewable Energy in the Coastal Environment of the Black Sea Zburlea, L., Rusu, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals
A predictive model for improving placement of wind turbines to minimise collision risk potential for a large soaring raptor Murgatroyd, M., Bouten, W., Amar, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Predicting Bald Eagle Collision at Wind Energy Facilities Nasman, K., Bay, K., Mattson, T., Leckband, J., Becker, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Assessing the vulnerability of breeding bird populations to onshore wind-energy developments in Finland Balotari-Chiebao, F., Valkama, J., Byholm, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Radar-based Detection of Birds at Wind Turbines: Numerical Analysis for Optimum Coverage Zadeh, A., Malzer, M., Nguyen, D., Moll, J., Krozer, V. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions
Migratory movements of British and Irish Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna: a review of ringing data and a pilot tracking study to inform potential interactions with offshore wind farms in the North Sea Green, R., Burton, N., Cook, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Waterfowl
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