I did find a report a little while ago, maybe by Birds Australia? What
ever is was, it discussed that certain families, types of birds, were
far more susceptible than others. Little grounds dwellers were pretty
much safe. The big problems were with gliding hunters and migratory
birds. The former were shown (in some areas) to adapt, using the
example of some raptors in Scotland that could actually tell when the
turbine was off, and used them as a perch to hunt from. The latter
were at a large disadvantage, because the first time they see the
turbine will be while hammering to a feeding ground. Thus some
responsibility lay with the turbine installers to see if they're on a
migratory route, and take measures to keep the birds away if there's a
chance. Lots of people are researching how to do this and some
advances have been made.
EB
On 3/12/08, Terry Bishop <> wrote:
> The trouble is, there is not enough wind farms around for widespread
> education.
> The birds seem to be very slow to learn about windows.
>
> Terry B
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of John Leonard
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:21 PM
> To: Birding-aus
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] mortality at wind farms
>
> 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
> ===============================
> www.birding-aus.org
> birding-aus.blogspot.com
>
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--
Evan Beaver
Lapstone, Blue Mountains, NSW
lat=-33.77, lon=150.64
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