How are wind turbines affecting bird populations?

The Threat

• Wind turbines are a huge threat to birds
• 2,700 birds are killed through collisions every year, 1,100 are raptors, 348 are American Kestrels, 188 Red-tailed Hawks and 67 are Golden Eagles.

Human Causes

• In the Diablo Mountains is an international migratory bird route. Home to the world's highest density of nesting golden eagles.
• And they built a wind farm there

Consequences

• Birds will keep running into the turbines and keep dying
• Because birds are dyingrodent population will increase. Absence of vultures means that there will be more dead animal carcasses lying around to rot, which means more flies and maggots.

How Humans Can Help

• Not build wind turbines where lots of birds are known to fly
• Paint turbines purple, it turned out the be the least attractive color to birds
• Build less wind turbines

How We Can Help

• We can spread awareness by writing to the people who decide if and where the turbines should be built

Citations

• http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/blogs/6-ways-to-protect-bats-and-bi...
• http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb/casestudy/531
• http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-01-04-windmills-usat_x.htm