Birdkillers
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https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.211558
Renewable energy production can kill individual birds, but little is known about how it affects avian populations. We assessed the vulnerability of populations for 23 priority bird species killed at wind and solar facilities in California, USA. Bayesian hierarchical models suggested that 48% of these species were vulnerable to population-level effects from added fatalities caused by renewables and other sources. Effects of renewables extended far beyond the location of energy production to impact bird populations in distant regions across continental migration networks. Populations of species associated with grasslands where turbines were located were most vulnerable to wind. Populations of nocturnal migrant species were most vulnerable to solar, despite not typically being associated with deserts where the solar facilities we evaluated were located. Our findings indicate that addressing declines of North American bird populations requires consideration of the effects of renewables and other anthropogenic threats on both nearby and distant populations of vulnerable species.
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https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.211558
Renewable energy production can kill individual birds, but little is known about how it affects avian populations. We assessed the vulnerability of populations for 23 priority bird species killed at wind and solar facilities in California, USA. Bayesian hierarchical models suggested that 48% of these species were vulnerable to population-level effects from added fatalities caused by renewables and other sources. Effects of renewables extended far beyond the location of energy production to impact bird populations in distant regions across continental migration networks. Populations of species associated with grasslands where turbines were located were most vulnerable to wind. Populations of nocturnal migrant species were most vulnerable to solar, despite not typically being associated with deserts where the solar facilities we evaluated were located. Our findings indicate that addressing declines of North American bird populations requires consideration of the effects of renewables and other anthropogenic threats on both nearby and distant populations of vulnerable species.
@George-K said in Birdkillers:
Renewable energy production can kill individual birds, but little is known about how it affects avian populations.
Way back in the day, when I was working, we had a program to pay people who obtained a patent for the company. I was on the committee that received the applications and decided whether we would submit the application to the Patent Office.
We had a guy submit an application for a system to predict how many birds would be killed by a windmill of a specified type in a specified location. I recollect that this system consisted of hardware and software.
This would have been back around 2001. I believe this guy received a patent, I'm not positive, I might be misremembering.
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Somewhat serious, somewhat not serious question.
But, will some birds live that would otherwise be killed by bird "lung cancer" or something equivalent since wind and solar are not as pollution causing as fossil fuel plants.
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https://sciencex.com/news/2026-05-striped-turbines-millions-birds.html
One recent study, in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, actually proposes an ingenious solution: paint patterns on turbine blades that change "optic flow" seen by birds, the changing visual contrast experienced as a bird flies through its environment. Changing this optical flow could make turbines more visible, helping birds avoid them more effectively.
Researchers note, "The ultimate goal is to enhance the overall conspicuity of turbines under a range of natural conditions, ensuring that birds detect the structure in time to avoid collisions."
"By looking at the world through a bird's eyes, we are exploring new ways to prevent deadly turbine collisions. The idea is to blend sensory ecology with natural flight strategies, how birds scan, steer, and avoid obstacles, and use that knowledge to redesign turbine blades."
and
One way to avoid birds smashing into wind structures is to change the appearance of turbines so that birds see them as an obvious threat and avoid them. Some studies suggest that painting towers and blades black, with reference to a bird's visual perception, can reduce collisions for some species.
In lab tests, kestrels and red-tailed hawks could spot turbine blades best when they had two wide black bands across a white surface. Narrower stripes were less effective.
A retinal study of kestrels tested computer-simulated turbine blades and found that staggered thin stripes on all three blades, or a mix of one black blade and two white blades, provided the clearest visibility by reducing motion blur.
For all that, lab studies mostly looked at how well blades could be seen, hardly a collision-avoidance measure. So far, only two full field trials and one small UV-paint test have been done, all at Norway's Smøla wind farm.
Painting one rotor blade black reduced bird deaths more than 70%, primarily of raptors, but based on only a small number of turbines.
Another study revealed that painting the lower sections black virtually halved the ptarmigan death rate, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Though these results are promising, the designs tested may not have been the best possible solutions.
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