The distribution of breeding birds around upland wind farms

[joshcryer]

1. There is an urgent need for climate change mitigation, of which the promotion of renewable energy, such as from wind farms, is an important component. Birds are expected to be sensitive to wind farms, although effects vary between sites and species. Using data from 12 upland wind farms in the UK, we examine whether there is reduced occurrence of breeding birds close to wind farm infrastructure (turbines, access tracks and overhead transmission lines). To our knowledge, this is the first such multi-site comparison examining wind farm effects on the distribution of breeding birds.

2. Bird distribution was assessed using regular surveys during the breeding season. We took a conservative analytical approach, with bird occurrence modelled as a function of habitat, before examining the additional effects of wind farm proximity.

3. Seven of the 12 species studied exhibited significantly lower frequencies of occurrence close to the turbines, after accounting for habitat variation, with equivocal evidence of turbine avoidance in a further two. No species were more likely to occur close to the turbines. There was no evidence that raptors altered flight height close to turbines. Turbines were avoided more strongly than tracks, whilst there was no evidence for consistent avoidance of overhead transmission lines connecting sites to the national grid.

4. Levels of turbine avoidance suggest breeding bird densities may be reduced within a 500-m buffer of the turbines by 15–53%, with buzzard Buteo buteo, hen harrier Circus cyaneus, golden plover Pluvialis apricaria, snipe Gallinago gallinago, curlew Numenius arquata and wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe most affected.

5. Despite being a correlative study, with potential for Type I error, we failed to detect any systematic bias in our likelihood of detecting significant effects.

6. Synthesis and applications. This provides the first evidence for consistent and significant effects of wind farms on a range of upland bird species, emphasizing the need for a strategic approach to ensure such development avoids areas with high densities of potentially vulnerable species. Our results reduce the uncertainty over the magnitude of such effects, and will improve future environmental impacts assessments

edit, link, sorry: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122608445/abstract

In light of the bird death propaganda I discovered this paper while doing my own independent research. This is probably a bigger issue than bird deaths. However, the paper indicates that it is still less significant than other aspects of civilization.

[XemaSab]

1. Nice abstract

It would be even nicer if the whole article was there so we could... examine... the methodology.

[joshcryer]

2. Here is an overview by Conservation Maven:

http://www.conservationmaven.com/frontpage/2009/9/30/study-finds-wind-farms-impact-breeding-bird-distribution.html

If there is high mortality of birds breeding close to the turbines associated with collision, then a wind farm may become a population sink if repeatedly colonized by naive birds. If, however, the birds simply avoid breeding close to the turbines, then depending upon the strength of density dependence displaced birds may settle elsewhere with little cost or ultimately be lost to the population. Research to disentangle these mechanisms should be a high priority.

More studies of course need to be done.

There is going to be a comprehensive study on the impacts of birds and bats in the coming months: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/090723.html

[Dead_Parrot]

3. Arrrrrr.

Any parrots?

[XemaSab]

4. Arr

The alpine parrots of the antipodes be settin' fires in the blades, me hearty.

[NNadir]

5. It would be even better if we could give the writer a lesson in the statistical theory of gases.

Which as it happens, is relevant.

In a very dilute gas, the probability of two atoms colliding is relatively small. In a very concentrated gas, the probability is much, much, much higher.

I'll access this paper tomorrow for fun, if I have time to waste in the library, and see how well the author has ruled out the statistical notion of diffusion.

(Unlike a "renewables will save us" person - most of whom are not required to know any science at all - nuclear people actually need to know something about diffusion.

If you think of it, birds and windmills can be modeled as a diffusion system.

I note that the "renewables will save us," "let's make all of our continents look like Tehachapi Pass" are talking about making significant energy from wind, something they talk and talk and talk and talk and talk about year after year after year after year after year, although after all these years and all this talk, they still haven't been able to produce one exajoule of energy in this hundred exajoule a year country.

Eventually there will be no place for the birds to diffuse from.

Just to power New York City, on the windiest of days, they'd need to make all of New Jersey into a wind farm, and wouldn't, in the process, power New Jersey.

Techapi Pass, for those who haven't had the pleasure:

[joshcryer]

6. It is unclear why the birds are not nesting around the turbines.

If they are simply moving on, then oh well, the ever encroaching nature of civilization.

[joshcryer]

7. Whoever unrecc'd this is not an environmentalist.

You don't care about the environment, you don't care about renewable energy, you don't care about wildlife.