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

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. A list of the sources used to develop this Short Science Summary is also available here.

European Migratory Soaring Birds Short Science Summary

Title	Author	Date Sort descending	Content Type	Technology	Stressor	Receptor
Environmental Effects of Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems (SWECS)	Lawrence, K., Strojan, C.	January 1980	Book	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Attraction, Avoidance, Collision	Birds
A Workshop on Raptors and Energy Development	Howard, R., Gore, J.	January 1980	Workshop Article	Wind Energy		Birds, Raptors
Raptor Baseline Studies in Energy Development	Kennedy, P.	June 1980	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds, Raptors
The possible impact of wind power generators on flying birds	Mead, C.	January 1982	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds
Bird Movements and Collision Mortality at a Large Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine	Byrne, S.	January 1983	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Waterfowl, Raptors, Passerines, Birds
Environmental Aspects of Large-Scale Wind-Power Systems in the UK	Robson, A.	December 1983	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision, Noise	Birds, Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Cape Blanco Wind Farm Feasibility Study Technical Report No. 11: Terrestrial Ecology	Portland General Electric Company	April 1986	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds
Vogels en windturbines (Birds and windturbines)	Winkelman, J.	January 1987	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision, Habitat Change	Birds
Research Program Concerning the Social and Environmental Aspects Related to the Windfarm Project of SEP	Lubbers, F.	January 1988	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds
Wind Farm Location and Environmental Impact	Clarke, A.	January 1989	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Noise, Habitat Change	Birds
An improved marine radar system for studies of bird migration	Cooper, B., Day, R., Ritchie, R., Cranor, C.	January 1991	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind		Birds
Assessment of Avian Use and Mortality Related to Wind Turbine Operations, Altamont Pass, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California, September 1988 through August 1989, Final Report	Howell, J., Didonato, J.	November 1991	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds, Raptors
Wind Turbine Effects on Avian Activity, Habitat Use, and Mortality in the Altamont Pass and Solano County Wind Resource Areas, 1989-1991	Orloff, S., Flannery, A.	March 1992	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds, Raptors
Wind Power and the Local Environment - No Free Lunches	Plowden, B.	March 1992	Conference Paper	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision, Habitat Change	Bats, Birds
The Effects of Aero-Generators on Moorland Bird Populations in the Orkney Islands, Scotland	Meek, E., Ribbands, J., Christer, W., Davy, P., Higginson, I.	January 1993	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Displacement, Collision	Seabirds, Birds
Wind Power and Planning: The Environmental Impact of Windfarms in the UK	Coles, R., Taylor, J.	July 1993	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds
Nocturnal Bird Migration in the Negev (Israel) - a Tracking Radar Study	Bruderer, B.	June 1994	Journal Article	Wind Energy		Birds
The Birds of Blyth Harbour	Still, D., Little, B., Lawrence, S., Carver, H.	June 1994	Conference Paper	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision, Habitat Change	Birds
Co-Occurrence of Cetaceans and Seabirds in the Northeast Atlantic	Skov, H., Durinck, J., Danielsen, F., Bloch, D.	January 1995	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind		Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Impact of Wind Turbines on Birds - Status of present Knowledge and Perspectives	Clausager, I., Nohr, H.	January 1995	Report	Wind Energy		Birds
Monitoring of Seasonal Bird Activity and Mortality on Unit 2 at the Buffalo Ridge Windplant, Minnesota	Higgins, K., Dieter, C., Usgaard, R.	January 1995	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Habitat Change, Collision	Birds, Bats
Avian use of proposed KENETECH and CARES wind farm sites in Klickitat County, Washington: Technical report	Jones & Stokes Associates Inc	January 1995	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds, Raptors, Waterfowl
Whirly Birds	Linn, A.	March 1995	Magazine Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Raptors, Birds
A Study of the Risk of Collision with Power Lines by Waterbirds in Winter at Shotton Steel Works, North Wales	Balmer, D., Henderson, I., Clark, N.	April 1995	Report	Wind Energy	Collision, Avoidance	Waterfowl, Birds
Proceedings of the National Avian - Wind Power Planning Meeting	LGL Ltd	April 1995	Conference Paper	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds
A Pilot Golden Eagle Population Study in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area California	Predatory Bird Research Group	May 1995	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision, Displacement	Birds, Raptors
Final Environmental Impact Statement: Kenetech/Pacificorp Windpower Project, Carbon County, Wyoming	Mariah Associates	August 1995	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds
Avian interactions with wind energy facilities: A summary	Colson, E.	December 1995	Conference Paper	Wind Energy		Birds
Proceedings of the National Avian - Wind Power Planning Meeting II	LGL Ltd	January 1996	Conference Paper	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds
A Review of the Impacts of Wind Farms and Other Aerial Structures Upon Birds	Gill, J., Townsley, M., Mudge, G.	January 1996	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds
Bird Casualties Caused by a Wind Energy Project in an Estuary	Musters, C., Noordervliet, M., terKeurs, W.	March 1996	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind	Collision	Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Seabirds, Birds
A Continued Examination of Avian Mortality in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area	Orloff, S., Flannery, A.	June 1996	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds, Raptors
Using a Collision Model to Design Safer Wind Turbine Rotors for Birds	Tucker, V.	November 1996	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Raptors, Birds
A Mathematical Model of Bird Collisions With Wind Turbine Rotors	Tucker, V.	November 1996	Journal Article	Wind Energy		Birds
Effects of Wind Turbines on Nesting Raptors at Buffalo Ridge in Southwestern Minnesota	Usgaard, R., Naugle, D., Osborn, R., Higgins, K.	January 1997	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Habitat Change	Birds, Raptors
Windfarm Design in the Light of Previous Experience	Lloyd, A.	January 1997	Conference Paper	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds
Bird Mortality at Rotor Swept Area Equivalents, Altamont Pass and Montezuma Hills, California	Howell, J.	January 1997	Journal Article	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind		Birds
Effect of Tunø Knob Windpark on Birds	Guillemette, M., Larsen, J., Clausager, I.	January 1997	Report	Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind		Birds, Seabirds
Avian Mortality at Rotor Swept Area Equivalents, Altamont Pass and Montezuma Hills, California	Howell, J.	January 1997	Report	Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind	Collision	Birds
Bird Disturbance: Improving the Quality and Utility of Disturbance Research	Hill, D., Hockin, D., Price, D., Tucker, G., Morris, R., Treweek, J.	April 1997	Journal Article	Wind Energy	Habitat Change	Birds