FAQs
Don't wind turbines kill lots of birds?? (1.5.2)
Monitoring of existing wind farms suggests that with sensitive
siting there is no adverse effect on bird populations. The
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society in New Zealand supports
the sustainable development of renewable energy such as wind
power because it helps mitigate climate change, which they
believe "poses the most significant long-term threat to
the environment...The available evidence suggests that appropriately
positioned wind farms do not pose a significant hazard for
birds."
As wind farm development in New Zealand is at a relatively
early stage, we don't know much about potential birds death
rates. But for example no bird deaths have been reported during
the ten years of operation of the Brooklyn wind turbine and
the Tararua wind farm has had approximately 10 reported bird
deaths in five years. (1)
The 9 harbour-wall turbines at Blyth in the UK are in a busy
bird area. Of the bird flights through the wind farm, only
1 in 10,000 have resulted in a collision. This translates
to 1-2 collisions per year per turbine. To put the issue
into perspective, in the UK every year more than 10 million
birds are killed by cars and 55 million by domestic cats.(2)
The Exxon Valdez oil spill alone is estimated to have killed
up to 500,000 birds.
Even if bird mortality rates caused by wind turbines are lower
than other man-made sources and studies have shown that birds
are able to adapt to the new environment, a well thought-out
design of the sites may reduce the risks of bird fatalities.
For example, wind farm developers should avoid sites which
lie across extremely frequented migratory routes, keep a good
distance between the turbines and avoid structures which are
attractive nesting places for birds.
Developers should contact bird specialists such as Forest
& Bird and conduct a thorough analysis of the risk to birdlife
as part of the Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)
of the wind farm proposal. With rigorous impact assessment
and thorough monitoring, wind power can be deployed without
significant detriment to birds (and other wildlife).
Notes:
(1,2) www.eeca.govt.nz/uploadedDocuments/windsup_final.pdf
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