Do Wind Turbines Cause Bird Mortality?
Posted by Kelly Smith on Tue, Apr 13, 2010
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, green power is a subset of renewable energy which is generated from renewable sources that have a low environmental impact. Not all renewable energy sources are low impact. For example, high impact hydroelectric dams can cause serious problems for waterways and aquatic life, such as spawning salmon, and are not considered to be sources of green power by the EPA, although they are a source of renewable energy. Low impact hydroelectric dams, on the other hand, which are created with the goal of creating a minimal negative impact on their surrounding environment, are considered to be sources of green power.
The EPA classifies wind power as clean, green source of renewable energy. However, many people are concerned about the impact that wind turbines can have on wildlife such as birds and bats. Ornithologists in the United States estimate close to half a million bird fatalities in the U.S. alone each year resulting from existing wind power installments. One major problem with wind power is that the best locations for strong wind currents can also be along important migration routes for birds.
Offshore wind farms with blades that rotate more slowly at night seem to be the best solution to the problem of wildlife mortality. Careful planning needs to take place to determine the best location for wind turbines before they are installed. However, even the National Audubon Society agrees that climate change causes a larger and more widespread threat to birds than wind turbines do. A 2007 Audubon testimony to Congress about the effect of climate change on birds states, "The timing of birds' migration, breeding, nesting, and hatching are highly adapted to the availability of suitable habitat, adequate prey and other food sources, and other factors. Since global warming is unlikely to cause different species to adapt or move at the same rate, bird behavior may no longer be in sync with their food sources and habitat needs." The threat that climate change places to habitat and food sources is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems that some species face as the climate grows warmer.
Renewable energy sources will help decrease carbon emissions and alleviate climate change. Wind power is an important part of the green energy mix. With careful planning, wind power can be safe for birds and other wildlife.
Photo via eschipul