Windfarms do not cause long-term damage to bird populations, study finds

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/apr/12/windfarms-damage-bird-populations



The new study goes against widespread allegations by critics of windfarms that clusters of turbines routinely cause serious damage to wild birds. Photograph: Alamy


A major new study has quashed fears that onshore windfarms are causing long-term damage to bird populations, but found new evidence that some species are harmed when windfarms are built.

The study by conservationists into the impacts on 10 of the key species of British upland bird, including several suffering serious population declines, concluded that a large majority of species can co-exist or thrive with windfarms once they are operating.

But the study, the largest carried out in the UK into the impact of onshore windfarms on bird life, also found strong evidence that some species suffered serious harm while windfarms are being built.

"It shows that there can be serious species-level impacts in the construction phase, so construction in the right place is absolutely key. But what it hasn't shown is that windfarms are 'bird blenders'. There is no impact from the turning of the blades," said Martin Harper, the RSPB's UK conservation director.

[MADem]

1. Of course they don't. Birds may have bird brains, but they're capable of figuring shit out. nt

[aquart]

2. HAH!

[shraby]

3. If they can figure out how to nest in an entry to a store with automatic sliding doors,

they can figure out the turning blades. They are small and quick on the wing.

[kristopher]

5. 1 year radar tracing of avian activity around offshore wind farm

[XemaSab]

4. They didn't study any raptor species

Half of the species they studied were shorebirds, which are not likely to nest around upland wind farms in the US.

In short, this study isn't as broadly applicable as the article says it is.