Altamont Pass, California house the states largest wind farm with 5,400 turbines. These turbines kill up to 1,300 birds every year often by dismembarment or beheading. The wind farm is situated right next to the largest habitat of golden eagles. The birds utilize this airspace for the same reason the turbines do; Good wind for migration. Now studies are being conducted to reduce the number of bird deaths and plans for safety measures are in the works.
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2 responses so far ↓
Cody McKibben // July 20, 2007 at 1:22 am
I have to agree with the latter half of TreeHugger’s post when they say:
“Make no mistake, we’re staunchly on the side of the pro-wind-farm brigade—pollution from unsustainable sources such as coal-powered plants, for example, are certainly more lethal to bird populations—but if better turbine designs can also reduce bird mortality, you certainly won’t find us squawking about them.”
Wind projects account for only .003 percent of human-caused bird deaths annually, which is a smaller percentage than house cats kill. I understand wanting to design more animal-friendly clean energy, but the coal industry has tried to use this “cause” to shut down the wind energy sector, and I just can’t bite. See more here: http://www.thrillingheroics.com/2007/06/using-smoke-and-mirrors-to-confound-the-audience.html
Cody // July 20, 2007 at 3:24 pm
here’s some more from TreeHugger this morning about the birds + wind farms
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/research_for_th.php