Study: Wind farms killed 67 eagles in 5 years

[NickB79]

http://news.yahoo.com/study-wind-farms-killed-67-eagles-5-years-160226373.html

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wind energy facilities have killed at least 67 golden and bald eagles in the last five years, but the figure could be much higher, according to a new scientific study by government biologists.

The research represents one of the first tallies of eagle deaths attributed to the nation's growing wind energy industry, which has been a pillar of President Barack Obama's plans to reduce the pollution blamed for global warming. Wind power releases no air pollution.

But at a minimum, the scientists wrote, wind farms in 10 states have killed at least 85 eagles since 1997, with most deaths occurring between 2008 and 2012, as the industry was greatly expanding. Most deaths — 79 — were golden eagles that struck wind turbines. One of the eagles counted in the study was electrocuted by a power line.

It's an unfortunate number, but not nearly high enough to either endanger the species, or justify a reduction in the roll-out of wind.

[Politicalboi]

1. Let's count how many animals died

From oil. Oh wait, we can't. That number is in the billions. At least wind farms can possibly send out a signal to keep birds away from the blades. Why does Obama hate Eagles? LOL!

[Scuba]

2. Or from cars and a hundred other things.

[dbackjon]

3. disagree with your conclusion

It is a MAJOR issue, especially since the number is probably in the hundreds, if not thousands of eagles.


Wind is very, very hazardous to the environment, especially when poorly sited.

[TRoN33]

5. In some ways you are right but...

Scientists went to Red Wing, Minnesota to conduct the study on wind turbine farm's impact on bird environment said that they has found that birds are adaptable and learned to stay away from turbines even if its not in the same locations. They said technologies are needed to help birds during the night time. They also did witnessed red-tailed hawk flown around the turbine and chose to not get near with it, that hawk just simply flew away.

[dbackjon]

8. Much depends on the turbine design and siting of the turbine

And what might work for a Hawk may not for an Eagle, or bats, or migrating songbirds.


Birds are still diced up daily at Altamont Pass, and that is one of the nation's oldest windfarms.

[diane in sf]

10. birds are diced up at Altamont BECAUSE it is so old, the newer designs are much less lethal

[dbackjon]

12. And because of the siting

Even newer designs are lethal there

[PamW]

14. WRONG!

Last edited Thu Sep 12, 2013, 12:42 PM - Edit history (1)

diane,

The turbines at Altamont have been / are continuing to be upgraded to the newer designs.

The reports are that the new designs are just as lethal as the old; if not more so.

Many "think" that because the new larger turbines seem to turn slower, that they will be safer
for the birds. It is true that the rotational speed of the turbines ( measured in RPMs ) is much
slower.

However, it's not the rotational speed that counts; it's the velocity of the blade tips that counts.

To get that number, you multiply the rotational speed by the circumference of the blade tips.

When you do that; you find that the velocity of the tips is INCREASED over the older turbines,
and they kill just as many if not more birds.

Why do you just spew "propaganda" when it is clear that you didn't know anything about the
particulars; and fell for the "green wash" from "big wind":

http://www.cfact.org/2013/03/18/wind-turbines-kill-up-to-39-million-birds-a-year/

http://www.masterresource.org/2013/09/hiding-avian-mortality-altamont-pass/

I prefer scientific honesty.

PamW

[TRoN33]

4. It doesn't make any differences from...

Oil, gas, coal, and nuclear radiation poisoning that killed billion of animals yearly. Yes, there are technologies that exists that can help make birds staying away from the wind turbines. For an example, during the nighttime, turbine towers can use the powerful strobe light in timed-intervals by 10 quick strobe flashing per 1 minute with extremely short distance low frequency sounds, it will scare the craps out of birds and they will learn to stay away from that locations. Birds are well capable of adaptable and learn very quickly.

Even there are some cases that scientists and veterinaries did conducted the autopsies on birds found near turbine, instead of finding any deathly blow to these birds, they found poisoning and shotgun pellets. Some allegedly that they found some feathers literally cleaned out of blood to make it less obviously.

There will always be a dark forces on this world that would do anything to kill clean and reusable energies even if they would kill endangered animals to make their cases. Sickening.

[GeorgeGist]

6. Bird friendly designs are in the offing.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Thank you, so much. Hope they won't dally on this humane step forward. n/t

[Nihil]

11. So, instead of slicing them up ...

... they get to play on a helter-skelter?

Cool!

[jpak]

9. Yes, let's get rid of wind power and burn more coal - and emit more mercury

which is transformed to methylmercury

that is biomagnified in food webs

that sickens and kills eagles and other top consumer birds.

Oh wait...

[dbackjon]

13. Typical

Either or thinking Shameful