The Mittagong (NSW) Bypass was littered with Wombat carcasses for
first year it was open but you dont see them often now. Not sure if
they learnt or all the local ones were killed.
Chris Charles
0412 911 184
33deg 47'30"S
151deg10'09"E
On 11/03/2008, at 9:20 PM, John Leonard wrote:
There has been some discussion of bird and bat mortality at wind-
farms on
Birding-aus.
I was reading Darwin's *The Descent of Man* Chap 3 'Comparison of
the Mental
Powers of Man and Lower Animals' in which Darwin argues that there
is no
absolute difference between the mental powers of humans and
animals, and
that animals can, for example, learn from experience.
In this context he notes: 'I have received several accounts that when
telegraphs are first set up in any district, many birds kill
themselves by
flying against the wires, but that in the course of a very few
years they
learn to avoid this danger, by seeing, as it would appear, their
comrades
killed.'
I wonder if any studies have shown a declining mortality (without a
declining population) at wind farms over time as a result of
birds learning by experience. I suppose the problem is that whereas
telegraph wires are all the same, wind turbines differ in their
designs,
heights, rate of rotation &c.
--
John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net
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