The Tension Between Wind Power and Birds
As fossil fuels become harder to access and more expensive, alternative sources of energy, especially renewables, are highly valued by many. However, not every form of renewable energy is thought of as equally good, and some are criticized for a variety of reasons. Wind energy uses large wind turbines that are known to cause fatalities of birds. Unfortunately, data on bird fatalities caused by wind farms is not clear: avian mortalities from wind turbines vary based on season, weather, location, topography, species, and many more factors. Furthermore, the limited data that does exist suggests that “bird mortality from wind turbines is far smaller than from many other forms of energy infrastructure and other human structures,” though it is still significant, and could become a serious problem if wind power spreads to wider areas. Additionally, some bird populations are so sensitive that they cannot suffer even minor losses that might not greatly impact a more robust species.
Even though the “why and how” of bird fatalities from wind power are “poorly quantified,” researchers note that these details “are very important for policy makers,” who often need to balance public interest and energy needs. Wind power is a promising alternative, but it needs to be better understood and the issues remedied before being deployed more broadly. For animal advocates, this study is encouraging in that it shows that bird fatalities from wind turbines are generally lower than for other forms of energy production. That being said, it also important for us to continue to press for solutions to reduce bird fatalities further, before wind power becomes more commonplace.