Cats More Lethal to Birds Than Wind Turbines
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05.23.07
Photo credit: praatafrikaans
Are wind turbines benign carbon-free power sources or avian death traps that blight the landscape? New numbers have been tossed into the fray, yet we're no closer to achieving common ground. (No surprise there.)
It takes 30-plus turbines to reach a kill rate of one bird per year, according to a recent report by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences on the environmental impacts of wind-energy projects, based on 14 studies they felt superlative. A number of caveats were attached to the figure, however, including the acknowledgment that rates can vary by site and that endangered species such as the bald eagle are particularly worth avoiding.
However you look at it, though, birds in the United States seem to die in turbine blades at a rate no higher than 40,000 a year. Deaths by dastardly domestic felines, on the other hand, number in the "hundreds of millions."
The study seems to have, well, ruffled more than a few feathers, especially those of bird-lovers who reserve a special brand of loathing for wind farms. "My personal opinion is that the evidence base is very poor," says Andrew Pullin, head of the Birmingham, UK-based Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation, in Nature.
The non-profit Royal Society of the Protection of Birds also points out that, while its members oppose large offshore developments, existing evidence on British wind farms is limited to studies of small installations onshore.
Published studies in Spain, which is the third largest wind-power-producer after the United States and Germany, also suggest that the number of birds killed is low. But at least one Spanish environmentalist, Alvaro Camiña, who monitors bird fatalities at 70 of the country's 140 wind-power farms, says that the figures don't tell the whole story; in the case of a widely accepted study published in 2004, the field work was completed a decade earlier, when turbines were much smaller.
More important, Camiña says, are the number of raptors killed—for example, 866 griffon vultures since 2000. "It's important to know the mortality of large birds because they have a lower number of offspring. Even a small number of deaths can affect a population," he tells Nature.
Rich Koebbe, the president of PowerWorks, a California firm with turbines in Altamont, counters with the assertion that the issue needs to be placed in context. "I heard that over 1,000 birds a year run into the Washington Monument. Should we tear that down? We're out here trying to do a job to save the Earth. We even save birds, since they are twice as vulnerable to pollution as humans." :: Nature
See also: :: World's Biggest Wind Power Plan and :: Common Eco-Myth: Wind Turbines Kill Birds
It's so ridiculous that people are still complaining about the dead birds. If we don't get some good carbon-free energy sources soon, all of the birds will die, along with the people. And besides, the Audubon Society supports wind power.
It's so ridiculous that people are still complaining about the dead birds. If we don't get some good carbon-free energy sources soon, all of the birds will die, along with the people. And besides, the Audubon Society supports wind power.
Cats are actually less accountable for bird decline than environmental pollution/less land available during migration seasons.
Yes, cats kill birds. But with trap-neuter-return (TNR) for ferals, there will be less feral cats to kill less birds.
Now, if only it were that easy with the pesky environment issue!
JC
I wonder when all these statistics will factor in what kind of birds are killed. I certainly don't mind my cat killing the pideons and doves because they are a public nuisance. I do mind the deaths of dwindling native bird populations though. To me, it seems more likely that the native bird population would be affected more by turbines than by cats, as they stay away from human developments. Or that's what I assume. But they've probably all been killed by invasive mongooses, or mosquitoe-born illnesses. I would really hate being a native bird in Hawaii because I'd probably be dead.
DDT Use Relates to Wind Farms
So correct me if I have missed the point. The domestic cat (the ideal independent pet) has actually been the main threat to bird life all along, and wind farms are a new emerging threat?
The solution seems obvious the domestic cat is the invasive species and it is possible to keep the man made equilibrium of premature bird depth by artificially controlling the cat population. (stock advisory invest in cat poison)
But Actually natural systems are way too complicated to control and while we have lots of knowledge that knowledge is mainly specialized not yet generally related.
According to Reuters some bird species have declined by 45% in the US due to West Nile as of late. It doesn’t take a mathematician to conclude that those deaths are fare grater than the total wind farm and cat related bird deaths combined.
The ability of the virus to spared is probably due to climate change, so find farms if they have a positive effect on the climate may even be saving birds, who would have ever imaged that!
But alas the virus is actually a mosquito problem that needs to be controlled by pesticides and well DDT is the new humanitarian drug of choice in the combat of mosquito’s and mosquito transmitted diseases.
Which brings me to a crossroads in logical deductions in the absence of a holistic view we need more DDT to save birds. (stock advisory invest in DDT)
And well the exploration date on the research linking DDT to the death of birds at the top of the food change must have expired, because DDT is being sold as “Great: again.
Just FYI: Bald eagles are no longer endangered and have been upgraded to "threatened."
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/b/msab0h.html
Cats, mosquito-borne viruses and other diseases, loss of habitat and replacement of habitat with tall buildings and other structures birds fly into, and wind turbines - that's only some of the hazards to bird life.
Oh well, life goes on. Or it doesn't.
This issue has already been solved via efficient vertical axis wind turbines.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/11/ultra-effective.php
What the bird people also fail to mention is that eventhought the studies from 10 years ago investigated smaller windmills, the newest windmills have blades that are nearly 300 in diameter, BUT they also rotate a a considerable slower speed. I figure if a bird is too stupid to fly around a GIANT twirling thing making god knows what noise in the navigational ultrasonic frequency range that these birds are supposed to be using to navigate, then, well, you get the picture.
The real question is, how many cats a year are killed by turbines, and is there anything we can do to increase that number?
It would seem to be a very simple way to counteract whatever negative effects the turbines have on the bird poplulation.
Or perhaps the turbines don't have to be involved, but we can come up with some way to make solar panels or ocean power more menacing to cats, that way the support (and resisitance) to green energy can be evenly divided among the different technologies.
i like the exotic hardwood ad at the bottom of the article. Save the birds but raze the rainforest
I think it's all daredevil birds... ever seen a bird swoop down in front of your car as you drive along... tempting fate by seeing how close he can get to your bumper with out being 'clipped'... its the same thing... thrillseeking... they are obviously seeing if they can fly through the blades without being hit... extreme...
Cats do not kill raptors or bats which is what most are concerned with. Stupid, avoidance argument.
Recent US Congress hearings brought forth several expert testimonies that warn of a potential environmental disaster (raptors, bats, etc) due to poor siting of turbines and lack of accountability. There are gaping holes in the protection of wildlife, birds and bats in particular, from poorly sited, constructed and monitored wind turbines in both the US and Canada.
Last month, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society in New York acquired (through a Freedom of Information Act) a report of the first year study of bird and bat deaths at the wind facility in Lewis County, New York. This company-sponsored survey estimates the death toll to have been between 3,103 and 6,011 birds and bats in the first year of operations alone. It should be noted that the Canadian Wildlife Service, at the urging of Canadian Wind Energy Association, has made wind monitoring optional and has ensured that any monitoring information will never be shared with the public or scientific community. Why?
When bats and raptors hunt they are completely locked onto their prey which is why they are so badly impacted by wind turbines. No effective mitigation efforts have succeeded to date. We currently spending millions on pesticides to fight mosquito borne West Nile disease, yet people like these commenters are defending killing off bats which are one of the most effective combatants against mosquitoes. Bats and raptors reproduce slowly so any impact to the population can have serious results.
The Audubon Society states: "Raptor migration bottlenecks in the Northeast, should largely be avoided." Are they being avoided? To the contrary -- that's exactly where thousands of industrial turbines are now planned. Due to political pressure, full environmental assessments have been deemed unnecessary by the protection agencies. Any studies are developer-driven where negative impacts are glossed over and minimized. What could possibly go wrong?
For you all to ignore these concerns and blindly support all wind projects is not just irresponsible, it borders on criminal. Get a crowbar for you mind.
RevMark wrote: What the bird people also fail to mention is that eventhought the studies from 10 years ago investigated smaller windmills, the newest windmills have blades that are nearly 300 in diameter, BUT they also rotate a a considerable slower speed.
Revmark, this shows your inability to grasp simple geometry. It only appears the new large industrial blades spin slower because they are SO huge. If you do the math, the tips of these blades (2 acres across) are still spinning at 150-200 mph.
Imagine spinning a football field around 14 times per minute. Would you want to be in the stands?
Recent US Congress hearings brought forth several expert testimonies that warn of a potential environmental disaster (birds, bats, etc) due to poor siting of turbines and lack of accountability. There are gaping holes in the protection of wildlife, birds and bats in particular, from poorly sited, constructed and monitored wind turbines in both the US and Canada.
Last month, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society in New York acquired (through a Freedom of Information Act) a report of the first year study of bird and bat deaths at the wind facility in Lewis County, New York. This company-sponsored survey estimates the death toll to have been between 3,103 and 6,011 birds and bats in the first year of operations alone.
It should be noted that the Canadian Wildlife Service, at the urging of Canadian Wind Energy Association, has made wind monitoring optional and has ensured that any monitoring information will never be shared with the public or scientific community. Why?
When bats and raptors hunt they are completely locked onto their prey which is why they are so badly impacted by wind turbines. No effective mitigation efforts have succeeded to date. We are now spending millions on pesticides to fight mosquito borne West Nile disease, yet turning a blind eye to the killing of bats which are one of the most effective combatants against mosquitoes. Bats and raptors reproduce slowly so any impact to the population can have serious results.
The Audubon Society states: "Raptor migration bottlenecks should largely be avoided." Are they avoided? To the contrary -- that's exactly where thousands of industrial turbines are now planned in Category 4 sites, or those with the very highest environmental sensitivity. Due to political pressure, full environmental assessments have been deemed unnecessary by the most governmental agencies. Any studies are developer-driven where negative impacts are glossed over and minimized. What could possibly go wrong?
For you to ignore these concerns and blindly support all wind projects is not just irresponsible, it borders on criminal.
Get a crow bar for you minds, people.
Wind turbines save millions of bird lives because they displace electricity from fossil fuels.
Pollution from fossil fuels causes regional bird extinctions. Mercury from coal is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in large birds such as loons and makes them frigidity so they can not stay long enough to roost their eggs. Mercury pollution contributed to loon extinction in regions of the Great Lakes. Acid rain from fossil fuel electricity generation kills snails critical to bird diets for hard shell. Soft eggs do not mature. Many songbirds-species have been wiped out from regions suffering from acid rain pollution.
Furthermore, giant wind turbines are too slow to threaten bird lives. Birds can now see them and they are much safer than non-moving structurers. For details on how safe modern wind turbines are visit
http://www.windri.org/conference/ Proceedings specifically ChristensenThomasKjær_DanishBirdStudy.pdf which has the results of 6 years of field studies in Denmark offshore wind turbines.
Finally, vertical wind turbines are a hoax. The cost of making electricity from vertical turbines is as expensive as from PV or orders of magnitude costlier than large elegant wind turbines. Wind turbines now make electricity less expensively than either nuclear of natural gas and even coal if one includes the money we pay to doctors for bronchitis and asthma due to respiratory illness caused by toxic fumes emitted from burning coal.
Bottom line wind turbines are not only safe for birds but save birds lives as well as human lives. For more detail on how many birds lives they save go to a study by Dr. Newman Newman_Onshore_Effects_of_Wind_on_Wildlife.pdf . He lays out the methodology for quantifying the number of birds lives saved by the displaced pollution. Results to be announced September 2007 – stay tuned.
"California's largest wind farm cluster at Altamont Pass unintentionally kills golden eagles, burrowing owls and other threatened birds. Now, wind companies, scientists and environmentalists are working to bird-proof these massive wind farms."
Watch Fatal Attraction: Birds and Wind Turbines:
http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/view/367
HEART ATTACKS AND CANCER KILL MORE PEOPLE THAN HEROIN!
Pass the needle please.
(Stupid logic)