Dodging the blades: new insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus

Thaxter, Chris B.; Ross‐Smith, Viola H.; Bouten, W.; Masden, Elizabeth A.; Clark, Nigel A.; Barber, Lee J.; Clewley, Gary D.; Burton, Niall H. K.

doi:10.3354/meps12415

Cited by 22 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This indicates that Montagu's Harriers adjust flight movements in response to turbines. Hence, the present study represents one of the few published cases where avoidance behaviour in birds within wind farms has been empirically assessed and demonstrated based on tracking of flight movements (Desholm & Kahlert 2005, Plonczkier & Simms 2012, Hull & Muir 2013, Thaxter et al 2018). Our null model approach based on simulated random flight paths can be applied across species and environments wherever available tracking data have sufficient positional accuracy.…”

Section: Avoidance Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the one hand, the error may be tackled by applying sophisticated modelling techniques (Ross-Smith et al 2016, P eron et al 2017). On the other hand, the positional precision may be strongly improved by increasing the GPS fix frequency (Bouten et al 2013, Corman & Garthe 2014, Thaxter et al 2018, which offers unprecedented opportunities for fine-scale, three-dimensional analyses. Here, we used such 'high-resolution' GPS tracking data, recorded at a fix interval of 3 s, to explore the collision risk of an endangered raptor species.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Band et al 2007) with the actual number of collision fatalities recorded with carcass searches (Vasilakis et al 2016). However, instead of relying on the bias-prone results from carcass searches (Madders & Whitfield 2006), we based our analysis of avoidance behaviour exclusively on flights recorded by GPS tracking in this study, comparing observed tracks with a null model of random flight behaviour (Hull & Muir 2013, Thaxter et al 2018.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Collision risk of Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus with wind turbines derived from high‐resolution GPS tracking

Schaub

Klaassen

Bouten

et al. 2019

Ibis

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Flight behaviour characteristics such as flight altitude and avoidance behaviour determine the species‐specific collision risk of birds with wind turbines. However, traditional observational methods exhibit limited positional accuracy. High‐resolution GPS telemetry represents a promising method to overcome this drawback. In this study, we used three‐dimensional GPS tracking data including high‐accuracy tracks recorded at 3‐s intervals to investigate the collision risk of breeding male Montagu's Harriers Circus pygargus in the Dutch–German border region. Avoidance of wind turbines was quantified by a novel approach comparing observed flights to a null model of random flight behaviour. On average, Montagu's Harriers spent as much as 8.2 h per day in flight. Most flights were at low altitude, with only 7.1% within the average rotor height range (RHR; 45–125 m). Montagu's Harriers showed significant avoidance behaviour, approaching turbines less often than expected, particularly when flying within the RHR (avoidance rate of 93.5%). For the present state, with wind farms situated on the fringes of the regional nesting range, collision risk models based on our new insights on flight behaviour indicated 0.6–2.0 yearly collisions of adult males (as compared with a population size of c. 40 pairs). However, the erection of a new wind farm inside the core breeding area could markedly increase mortality (up to 9.7 yearly collisions). If repowering of the wind farms was carried out using low‐reaching modern turbines (RHR 36–150 m), mortality would more than double, whereas it would stay approximately constant if higher turbines (RHR 86–200 m) were used. Our study demonstrates the great potential of high‐resolution GPS tracking for collision risk assessments. The resulting information on collision‐related flight behaviour allows for performing detailed scenario analyses on wind farm siting and turbine design, in contrast to current environmental assessment practices. With regard to Montagu's Harriers, we conclude that although the deployment of higher wind turbines represents an opportunity to reduce collision risk for this species, precluding wind energy developments in core breeding areas remains the most important mitigation measure.

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Section: Avoidance Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Collision risk of Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus with wind turbines derived from high‐resolution GPS tracking

Schaub

Klaassen

Bouten

et al. 2019

Ibis

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“…In this study, we investigated the footprint of wind turbines on movement corridors of migratory soaring birds using high-frequency GPS tracking (1-min temporal resolution or higher). GPS tracking is a powerful tool to investigate direct interactions between birds and wind turbines at multiple spatiotemporal scales, but it was only recently introduced in this field of study (e.g., Garthe, Markones, & Corman, 2017;Thaxter et al, 2015Thaxter et al, , 2018. We tracked 130 black kites (Milvus migrans) during the post-breeding migration in an area highly populated by wind turbines in the region of Tarifa, Spain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wind turbines cause functional habitat loss for migratory soaring birds

Marques

Santos

Hanssen

et al. 2019

Journal of Animal Ecology

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1. Wind energy production has expanded to meet climate change mitigation goals, but negative impacts of wind turbines have been reported on wildlife. Soaring birds are among the most affected groups with alarming fatality rates by collision with wind turbines and an escalating occupation of their migratory corridors. These birds have been described as changing their flight trajectories to avoid wind turbines, but this behaviour may lead to functional habitat loss, as suitable soaring areas in the proximity of wind turbines will likely be underused. 2. We modelled the displacement effect of wind turbines on black kites (Milvus migrans) tracked by GPS. We also evaluated the impact of this effect at the scale of the landscape by estimating how much suitable soaring area was lost to wind turbines. 3. We used state-of-the-art tracking devices to monitor the movements of 130 black kites in an area populated by wind turbines, at the migratory bottleneck of the Strait of Gibraltar. Landscape use by birds was mapped from GPS data using dynamic Brownian bridge movement models, and generalized additive mixed modelling was used to estimate the effect of wind turbine proximity on bird use while accounting for orographic and thermal uplift availability. 4. We found that areas up to approximately 674 m away from the turbines were less used than expected given their uplift potential. Within that distance threshold, bird use decreased with the proximity to wind turbines. We estimated that the footprint of wind turbines affected 3%-14% of the areas suitable for soaring in our study area.

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“…Among seabirds, the lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus is considered vulnerable to collision with terrestrial and offshore wind turbines (Furness et al, 2013;Thaxter et al, 2017). Lesser black-backed gulls are known to enter offshore wind farms (Thaxter et al, 2018) and a relatively high proportion (c. 34%) of individuals may fly at turbine height (Johnston, Cook, Wright, Humphreys, & Burton, 2014;Ross-Smith et al, 2016). This species is of conservation concern, listed under Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) and of Amber status in the list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man (Eaton et al, 2015) due to the international importance, and concentration, of its breeding population at protected site colonies, where there have been significant recent declines (Ross-Smith et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian vulnerability to wind farm collision through the year: Insights from lesser black‐backed gulls (Larus fuscus) tracked from multiple breeding colonies

Thaxter

Ross‐Smith

Bouten

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. Wind energy generation has become an important means to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate against human-induced climate change, but could also represent a significant human-wildlife conflict. Airborne taxa such as birds may be particularly sensitive to collision mortality with wind turbines, yet the relative vulnerability of species' populations across their annual life cycles has not been evaluated.2. Using GPS telemetry, we studied the movements of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus from three UK breeding colonies through their annual cycle. We modelled the distance travelled by birds at altitudes between the minimum and maximum rotor sweep zone of turbines, combined with the probability of collision, to estimate sensitivity to collision. Sensitivity was then combined with turbine density (exposure) to evaluate spatio-temporal vulnerability.3. Sensitivity was highest near to colonies during the breeding season, where a greater distance travelled by birds was in concentrated areas where they were exposed to turbines. 4. Consequently, vulnerability was high near to colonies but was also high at some migration bottlenecks and wintering sites where, despite a reduced sensitivity, exposure to turbines was greatest. Synthesis and applications.Our framework combines bird-borne telemetry and spatial data on the location of wind turbines to identify potential areas of conflict for migratory populations throughout their annual cycle. This approach can aid the wind farm planning process by: (a) providing sensitivity maps to inform wind farm placement, helping minimize impacts; (b) identifying areas of high vulnerability where mitigation warrants exploration; (c) highlighting potential cumulative impacts of developments over international boundaries and (d) informing the conservation status of species at protected sites. Our methods can identify pressures and linkages for populations using effect-specific metrics that are transferable and could help resolve other human-wildlife conflicts.

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Dodging the blades: new insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus

Cited by 22 publications

References 15 publications

Collision risk of Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus with wind turbines derived from high‐resolution GPS tracking

Collision risk of Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus with wind turbines derived from high‐resolution GPS tracking

Wind turbines cause functional habitat loss for migratory soaring birds

Avian vulnerability to wind farm collision through the year: Insights from lesser black‐backed gulls (Larus fuscus) tracked from multiple breeding colonies

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