Electrocution risk for the endangered Crowned Solitary Eagle and other birds in semiarid landscapes of central Argentina

Abstract

SummaryHigh mortality by electrocution has been suggested to be the main factor behind the reduction of several birds of prey populations across the world. Almost nothing is known, however, about the impact of power lines on this group of birds in the Neotropical Region. Here we estimate electrocution rates for birds on power lines covering both arid and semiarid biomes of central Argentina. We conducted six bi-monthly power line and raptor surveys throughout 355 km of lines and roads covering an area of approximately 12,000 km2. We described the structural design of 3,118 surveyed electricity pylons. We found 34 electrocuted individuals of four bird families that constitute an annual bird electrocution rate of 0.011 bird/pylon/year. Bird electrocution occurred mostly on concrete pylons with jumpers above the cross-arm. Larger birds of prey had a higher electrocution rate than smaller species. The Crowned Solitary Eagle Buteogallus coronatus was disproportionately affected by this mortality source when compared with its low population density. Electrocution incidents occurred mostly in a few electric pylon designs that represent only 10.2 % of the power pylons monitored in the study area. Therefore, the change or modification of a small fraction of pylons would almost eliminate bird electrocution incidents in our study area. Our results prove that electrocution is a relevant cause of mortality for Crowned Solitary Eagles and urgent mitigating actions are needed to reduce this mortality factor.

Conservation Letter: Raptors and Overhead Electrical Systems

“…The Ridgway's Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) reintroduction program in the Dominican Republic has also been impacted by electrocution mortalities (Dwyer et al 2019b). Electrocutions also involve multiple South American raptor species, including Blackchested Buzzard-Eagles (Geranoaetus melanoleucus; Orellana and Cornejo 2010, Ibarra and De Lucca 2015) and Chaco Eagles (Buteogallus coronatus; Galmes et al 2017).…”

Power Pole Density and Avian Electrocution Risk in the Western United States

“…Electrocutions have been implicated in population-level declines for Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti) and Booted Eagles (Hieraaetus pennatus) in Spain (González et al 2007, Ló pez-Ló pez et al 2011, Martinez et al 2017, Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) in Australia (Bekessy et al 2009), Eurasian Eagle-Owls (Bubo bubo) in Italy (Sergio et al 2004), Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) in Mongolia and China (Dixon et al 2013), Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) in Egypt (Angelov et al 2013), Cape Vultures (Gyps coprotheres) in South Africa (Boschoff et al 2011), and Chaco Eagles (Buteogallus coronatus) in Argentina (Galmes et al 2018).…”

“…Corvids, including House Crows (Corvus splendens), and numerous other taxa have also been electrocuted in Asia (Harness et al 2013). In Argentina, parrots and parakeets are frequently involved in electrocutions (Galmes et al 2018).…”

Power lines as a threat to a canopy predator: electrocuted Harpy Eagle in southwestern Brazilian Amazon

“…Most reported case studies were of migratory birds and resident birds in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania (Avery 1978;Salvador & Ibanez 2006;Lehman et al 2007;Kagan 2016;Mojica et al 2018). More recently this problem started attracting attention in South American countries such as Argentina (Orellana & Cornejo 2010;Ibarra & DeLucca 2015;Galmes et al 2017), however, there has been little attention in Brazil, a country that has an extensive network of high-tension transmission Studies of bird collision on high voltage lines are still limited to licensing studies and mitigation measures (such as bird flight diverters), with uncertainty as to their effectiveness (Biasotto et al 2017;Biasotto & Kindel 2018).…”