Differential mortality of birds killed at wind farms in Northern Portugal

Abstract

Capsule The Skylark Alauda arvensis had the highest overall mortality in ten Northern Portuguese wind farms surveyed between 2006 and 2011. Analysis from the integration of conventional and molecular techniques suggest a sex and age biased mortality affecting mainly adult males (90.9%), which may be related to their characteristic breeding male song-flights making them highly vulnerable to collision with wind turbines. The results highlight the added value of more complete population impact assessments that go beyond simple carcass identification at wind farms.

Boreal bird abundance estimates within different energy sector disturbances vary with point count radius

“…While the number of birds affected is uncertain (Pagel et al 2013), estimates adjusted for searcher detection and scavenger removal suggest that between 140,000 and 328,000 birds are killed annually by collisions with turbines at wind energy facilities in the contiguous U.S. (Loss et al 2013). For songbirds in particular, fatalities at wind energy facilities in the U.S. and Canada are estimated to be between 134,000 and 230,000 annually (Erickson et al 2014 Morinha et al 2014), suggesting that the direct effects of wind energy facilities are of concern globally. Intuitively, mortality rates at wind energy facilities should be related to avian abundance (Carrete et al 2012), but a more complex suite of site-specific factors may be important (De Lucas et al 2008, Marques et al 2014.…”

“…For example, heightened foraging activity of male terns during egg-laying and incubation at a wind energy facility in Belgium resulted in male-biased mortality (Stienen et al 2008). Similarly, song flights performed by male Sky Larks (Alauda arvensis) during the breeding season at a wind energy facility in Portugal increased collision risk, resulting in male-biased mortality (Morinha et al 2014).…”

“…Collisions between birds and onshore wind turbines result in impact trauma, which can result directly in death or render birds more susceptible to predation. Collisions have been documented for a wide range of taxa, including ducks (Johnson et al 2002), grouse (Zeiler and Grünschachner-Berger 2009), raptors (De Lucas et al 2008), and songbirds (Morinha et al 2014). Of specific concern are fatalities of species of conservation concern (e.g., Western Burrowing Owl [Athene cunicularia hypugaea]; Smallwood et al 2007) and species with small populations, delayed maturity, long lifespans, and low reproductive rates, for which even a few mortalities can have population-level effects (e.g., Golden Eagle [Aquila chrysaetos]: Lovich 2015; White-tailed Eagle [Haliaeetus albicilla]: Dahl et al 2012).…”

“…Avian collisions with wind turbines (i.e. direct effects) are well documented and have received the most attention to date (e.g., Smallwood and Thelander 2008, Loss et al 2013, Morinha et al 2014. In comparison, studies of the direct effects of other types of renewable energy infrastructure on birds have been limited (but see McCrary et al 1986, Lovich andEnnen 2011).…”

The song of Skylarks Alauda arvensis indicates the deterioration of an acoustic environment resulting from wind farm start‐up

“…, Morinha et al . , Graff et al . ), displacement due to disturbance or habitat loss (Pruett et al .…”