Wind turbines in high quality habitat cause disproportionate increases in collision mortality of the white-tailed eagle

Heuck, Christian; Herrmann, Christof; Levers, Christian; Leitão, Pedro J.; Krone, Oliver; Brandl, Roland; Albrecht, Jörg

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.05.018

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Raptor populations are frequently threatened by a number of anthropogenic factors. These include encroachment of their habitats (Newton, 1979), increased toxicological burdens (Badry et al, 2020; Nadjafzadeh, Hofer, & Krone, 2013) and collision with man-made structures, such as wind energy plants (Heuck et al, 2019), among others. In many countries, including Germany, a high level of conservation effort is required to compensate for these negative anthropogenic factors and has succeeded to stabilize, or even promote growth of avian raptor populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogen-prey-predator relations of avian raptors during epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany

Günther,

Krone,

Globig

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Transition of highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b H5 avian influenza virus (HPAIV) from epizootic to enzootic status in Northern European countries was associated with severe losses and even mass mortalities among various wild bird species. Both avian and mammalian raptors hunting infected debilitated birds or scavenging on virus-contaminated avian carcasses contracted HPAIV infection. This precarious pathogen-prey-predator relation further worsened when in 2021 and 2022 outbreaks in Germany overlapped with the hatching season of avian raptor species. Retro- and prospective surveillance revealed avian raptors as important indicators of HPAIV and its genetic diversity on the one hand. On the other hand, their role as victims of HPAIV is stipulated. The first case of an HPAIV H5N1-related death of a white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla;WTSE) hatch in Germany, 2021, followed by several such cases in 2022, and a low overall seropositivity rate of 5.0-7.9% among WTSE nestlings, raised fears of a serious negative impact on reproduction rates of WTSEs and other birds of prey when HPAIV becomes enzootic in an ecosystem. However, comparably stable breeding success of WTSE in the study area in 2022 and a potentially evolving natural immunity raises hope for a less severe long-term impact.Article impact statementAdapted surveillance measures were developed to assess risks for the conservation of avian raptors due to the panzootic spread of HPAIV.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogen-prey-predator relations of avian raptors during epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany

Günther,

Krone,

Globig

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Wind turbines may increase the mortality of avian predators, such as the White-tailed Eagle (Heuck et al 2019), which may benefit other species. The use and maintenance of power plants increase the presence of people on the islands, which may negatively affect the most sensitive species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term impact on the breeding birds of a semi-offshore island-based wind farm in Åland, Northern Baltic Sea

Tanskanen

Yrjölä²,

Oja³

et al. 2022

Ornis Svec

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Breeding bird populations were monitored at a wind farm in the Båtskär area of the southern Åland archipelago in 2006–2017. The area is situated in the outer archipelago and comprises four islands with six wind turbines in total. The wind turbines began operating in autumn 2007. An environmental impact assessment for the area was conducted in 2002. A control area called Stenarna, located 22 km NW of Båtskär, was used for comparison. The Båtskär area annually recorded 850–1,050 pairs of breeding birds. Four species showed significantly decreasing trends in Båtskär, namely the Common Eider Somateria mollissima, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus, Herring Gull L. argentatus , and Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle. In Stenarna, only the Common Eider significantly decreased over the same period. The Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea increased in both areas, while the Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca, Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator, Common Gull Larus canus, Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus, and White Wagtail Motacilla alba increased in Stenarna, the control area. The Herring Gull population decline is unlikely to be related to the wind farm. However, the proximity of a wind turbine to a breeding colony of the Lesser Black-backed Gull has most likely contributed to its decline. The reason for the Black Guillemot decline in Båtskär is unknown. The decline of Common Eider in both areas may be connected to increasing predation from White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. Some species, such as the House Martin Delichon urbicum and auks, have benefitted from the wind farm construction. They can utilize new microhabitats created by the construction, while other species, such as the Common Eider, gain protection against predation because of human activities.

show abstract

“…Fish and Wildlife Service 2007). Whooping Crane behavioral avoidance of wind infrastructure would attenuate those concerns, although if placed in high‐quality habitat (Heuck et al 2019), wind infrastructure may continue to pose collision risk during times of low visibility, such as darkness, precipitation, or fog (Navarrete and Griffis‐Kyle 2014). Furthermore, understanding trade‐offs of avoidance‐induced habitat loss and reduced collision mortality would require more data and analysis of fine‐scale movements close to wind infrastructure, allowing for better assessment of collision risk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migrating Whooping Cranes avoid wind‐energy infrastructure when selecting stopover habitat

Pearse

Metzger

Brandt

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades. Risks associated with wind‐energy infrastructure are not well understood for endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) or other vulnerable Crane populations. From 2010 to 2016, we monitored 57 Whooping Cranes with remote‐telemetry devices in the United States Great Plains to determine potential changes in migration distribution (i.e., avoidance) caused by presence of wind‐energy infrastructure. During our study, the number of wind towers tripled in the Whooping Crane migration corridor and quadrupled in the corridor’s center. Median distance of Whooping Crane locations from nearest wind tower was 52.1 km, and 99% of locations were >4.3 km from wind towers. A habitat selection analysis revealed that Whooping Cranes used areas ≤5.0 km (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8–5.4) from towers less than expected (i.e., zone of influence) and that Whooping Cranes were 20 times (95% CI 14–64) more likely to use areas outside compared to adjacent to towers. Eighty percent of Whooping Crane locations and 20% of wind towers were located in areas with the highest relative probability of Whooping Crane use based on our model, which comprised 20% of the study area. Whooping Cranes selected for these places, whereas developers constructed wind infrastructure at random relative to desirable Whooping Crane habitat. As of early 2020, 4.6% of the study area and 5.0% of the highest‐selected Whooping Crane habitat were within the collective zone of influence. The affected area equates to habitat loss ascribed to wind‐energy infrastructure; losses from other disturbances have not been quantified. Continued growth of the Whooping Crane population during this period of wind infrastructure construction suggests no immediate population‐level consequences. Chronic or lag effects of habitat loss are unknown but possible for long‐lived species. Preferentially constructing future wind infrastructure outside of the migration corridor or inside of the corridor at sites with low probability of Whooping Crane use would allow for continued wind‐energy development in the Great Plains with minimal additional risk to highly selected habitat that supports recovery of this endangered species.

show abstract

Wind turbines in high quality habitat cause disproportionate increases in collision mortality of the white-tailed eagle

Cited by 18 publications

References 43 publications

Pathogen-prey-predator relations of avian raptors during epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany

Pathogen-prey-predator relations of avian raptors during epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany

Long-term impact on the breeding birds of a semi-offshore island-based wind farm in Åland, Northern Baltic Sea

Migrating Whooping Cranes avoid wind‐energy infrastructure when selecting stopover habitat

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About