Bat mortality due to wind turbines in Canada

Abstract

Wind turbines have been hypothesized to affect bat populations; however, no comprehensive analysis of bat mortality from the operation of wind turbines in Canada has been conducted. We used data from carcass searches for 64 wind farms, incorporating correction factors for scavenger removal, searcher efficiency, and carcasses that fell beyond the area searched to estimate bat collision mortality associated with wind turbines in Canada. On average, 15.5 AE 3.8 (95% CI) bats were killed per turbine per year at these sites (range ¼ 0À103 bats/turbine/yr at individual wind farms). Based on 4,019 installed turbines (the no. installed in Canada by Dec 2013), an estimated 47,400 bats (95% CI ¼ 32,100À62,700) are killed by wind turbines each year in Canada. Installed wind capacity is growing rapidly in Canada, and is predicted to increase approximately 3.5-fold over the next 15 years, which could lead to direct mortality of approximately 166,000 bats/year. Long-distance migratory bat species (e.g., hoary bat [Lasiurus cinereus], silver-haired bat [Lasionycteris noctivagans], eastern red bat [Lasiurus borealis]) accounted for 73% of all mortalities. These species are subject to additional mortality risks when they migrate into the United States. The little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), which was listed as Endangered in 2014 under the Species At Risk Act (SARA), accounted for 13% of all mortalities from wind turbines, with most of the mortality (87%) occurring in Ontario. Population-level impacts may become an issue for some bat species as numbers of turbines increase.

A smart curtailment approach for reducing bat fatalities and curtailment time at wind energy facilities

“…In North America, dead bats have been observed at most operational wind energy facilities where data are available (Arnett and Baerwald , Arnett et al. , Zimmerling and Francis ), and some researchers in North America have concluded that fatalities resulting from interactions with wind turbines are potentially resulting in tens to hundreds of thousands of fatalities annually (Cryan , Arnett and Baerwald , Hayes , Smallwood , Frick et al. ).…”

“…Bat ecologists have also expressed concerns about the impacts of wind energy development on bats (Kunz et al 2007, Arnett et al 2008, Cryan and Barclay 2009, Arnett and Baerwald 2013, Alverez and Lidicker 2015. In North America, dead bats have been observed at most operational wind energy facilities where data are available (Arnett and Baerwald 2013, Arnett et al 2016, Zimmerling and Francis 2016, and some researchers in North America have concluded that fatalities resulting from interactions with wind turbines are potentially resulting in tens to hundreds of thousands of fatalities annually (Cryan 2011, Arnett and Baerwald 2013, Hayes 2013, Smallwood 2013, Frick et al 2017. Furthermore, recent population dynamics modeling suggests that some species, such as North American hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus; Frick et al 2017), may be at significantly increased risk for population extinctions due to wind energy development.…”

Identifying Birds' Collision Risk with Wind Turbines Using a Multidimensional Utilization Distribution Method

“…The Global Wind Energy Council reported that 2015 was another record‐breaking year for the wind energy industry (Global Wind Energy Council 2016). However, wind farms may be causing a large number of fatalities to flying animals, affecting a large area of potential soaring‐habitat around them (De Lucas et al 2012, Zimmerling and Francis 2016, Marques et al 2020). Therefore, the expansion of wind farms has raised concerns about their potential negative effects on wildlife populations and associated habitat quality.…”

Bat Migration

“…In addition to the usual litany of threats to bats and other wildlife (e.g., habitat destruction, pollution, and specifically for bats, malicious destruction of their colonies in caves and other roosts), a new threat to their conservation has emerged recentlywind turbine farms. In an effort to tap alternate sources of energy, wind farms have increased markedly in number and size in Europe, Australia, and North America in recent years (Arnett et al, 2008;Baerwald and Barclay, 2011;Thaxter et al, 2017;Zimmerling and Francis, 2016). While these establishments clearly have positive value for energy production, they can have negative value for wildlife because they kill migratory birds and bats.…”