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January 2010

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From:
Andy Sewell <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Andy Sewell <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:18:59 -0500
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Good questions about wind power and birds, Vicki. I believe I can answer a couple of your questions, though, as I have looked at how wind farms are sited and what goes into placing them through research at work.

Is the mortality rate due to the invasive nature to breeding habitat, both
on the ground and in the air? - Probably not, since at least in Ohio, wind farms are going be in the windiest part of the state and will likely be in agricultural fields, or in Lake Erie. Wind farm developers try very hard to avoid impacts to species of concern since it costs money to try and mitigate any effects.

If all types of landscapes are fragmented, including interior forests and
mountaintops such as what is happening in PA, will this decrease breeding
success? - I would think that if wind and solar really starts to replace a significant chunk of power we now get from coal, that might reduce coal mining and the habitat destruction that goes along with it.

Your migration questions: Generally, birds at cruising altitude while migrating will be above the height of the turbines (although experts, feel free to correct me if my assumption is wrong), which can reach 300 feet in height, so apart from landings and take-offs, that shouldn't be a problem.

Additional transmission lines: Most wind farms bury the cables that run from each turbine to the farm substation. I think that the effect of a few additional transmission lines will be minimal.

Raptor perching on a turbine blade: Remember, these things are colossal. It takes a bit for them to gain any speed, and I think any bird perched on one would take off as soon as it sensed its perch was unstable.


Of course, the big big question is this: Will an increase in wind power result in less emissions of greenhouse gases, and help in the fight against catastrophic climate change? Make no mistake, climate change will effect entire species of birds far more than widespread adoption of wind power generation.

Andy Sewell
Columbus, Ohio

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vicci Weeks
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 9:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Ohio-birds] Wind Power and Birds

Think about these questions:

Is the mortality rate due to the invasive nature to breeding habitat, both
on the ground and in the air?

If there is no mandatory protocol enforceable in a court of law for wind
development, how can any data be relied upon to be accumulated for decision
making?

If all types of landscapes are fragmented, including interior forests and
mountaintops such as what is happening in PA, will this decrease breeding
success?

If natural food sources are replaced by invasive species will this reduce
breeding success?

What happens to a bird in migration taking advantage of a tail wind with
limited body fat when it is forced to change its course to detour around
wind turbines?

How will a migrant flying at night see the tips of a blade on a wind
turbine?

If birds are attracted to lighted towers, will they not be attracted to
lighted wind turbines?  Refer to American Bird Conservancy tower kill.

Will the additional transmission lines and guy-wired towers contribute to
bird mortality?

Will a raptor who is perched on a disengaged wind turbine understand when
the blades start to move?

Will these same birds be focused on their prey or the movement of the wind
turbine?

Will birds trying to avoid becoming prey think about getting away or
avoiding the wind turbine?

If wind turbines are placed on rises in landscapes, will migrants flying
near that height adjust their altitude to compensate?

Will a bird forced down in inclement weather have the time or energy to
dodge wind turbines?

These are just a few of the unanswered questions I have about wind power and
birds.

Vicci Weeks


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______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]

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