Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat
Understanding drivers underlying birds’ responses to operational wind turbines is essential for robust wind farm proposal assessments, especially for large raptors with life history traits engendering sensitivity to impacts from two potential adverse effects: fatality through collision with rotating...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/1/71 |
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| author | Alan H. Fielding David Anderson Stuart Benn John Taylor Ruth Tingay Ewan D. Weston D. Philip Whitfield |
| author_facet | Alan H. Fielding David Anderson Stuart Benn John Taylor Ruth Tingay Ewan D. Weston D. Philip Whitfield |
| author_sort | Alan H. Fielding |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding drivers underlying birds’ responses to operational wind turbines is essential for robust wind farm proposal assessments, especially for large raptors with life history traits engendering sensitivity to impacts from two potential adverse effects: fatality through collision with rotating turbine blades and functional habitat loss through avoidance of turbines. The balance between these two potential effects represents opposing extremes on a continuum and is influenced by several factors. Collisions have an obvious impact on survival, but the impacts of avoidance may be more insidious and potentially more significant for a population. It is reasonable to conclude that collisions are less likely when blades are motionless. Consequently, turbine shutdown systems (TSSs, “shutdown on demand” or “curtailment”), instigated as raptors approach operational turbines, may provide mitigation against collisions. By contrast, if avoidance is most likely, this could be independent of blade motion, and TSSs/curtailment would provide no mitigation against habitat loss. For birds tending to wariness of turbines, therefore, it is important to understand if it is conditional on blade motion. Scottish golden eagles show a strong propensity to avoid (be wary of) turbines, subject largely to the suitability of habitat at and surrounding turbine locations. A previous Scottish study found that approach distances to turbines by non-territorial eagles were unaffected by blade motion but were closer at higher wind speed. Here, we analyse movement data from a GPS-tagged territorial eagle and non-territorial eagles responding to the motion status (and wind speed) of turbines at another Scottish wind farm. Eagles’ approach distances to turbines were only weakly affected by blade motion but were closer at higher wind speed. We again found that habitat suitability in and around turbine locations was strongly influential on eagles’ approach distance to turbines. Our confirmation that blade motion had little effect on Scottish golden eagles’ wariness of turbines suggests that for eagles that are prone to avoid turbines, their wariness is a response to turbines <i>per se</i>, and not blades’ movement. In our study system, and others where avoidance is the predominant response, curtailment of turbines’ operation on birds’ close approaches, or making turbine blades more obvious, should, therefore, have little material influence on functional habitat loss impacts. If true, this has important implications for wind farm designs and any proposed mitigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:00:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6543cabc971246988916c70738abcea2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:00:08Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-6543cabc971246988916c70738abcea22024-01-26T16:05:40ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-01-011617110.3390/d16010071Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred HabitatAlan H. Fielding0David Anderson1Stuart Benn2John Taylor3Ruth Tingay4Ewan D. Weston5D. Philip Whitfield6Natural Research Ltd., Brathens AB31 4BY, UKDave Anderson Ecology Ltd., Callander FK17 8EU, UKRSPB Scotland, Inverness IV2 3BW, UKForestry and Land Scotland, Lochgilphead PA31 8RS, UKWild Justice, 9 Lawson Street, Raunds NN9 6NG, UKNatural Research Ltd., Brathens AB31 4BY, UKNatural Research Ltd., Brathens AB31 4BY, UKUnderstanding drivers underlying birds’ responses to operational wind turbines is essential for robust wind farm proposal assessments, especially for large raptors with life history traits engendering sensitivity to impacts from two potential adverse effects: fatality through collision with rotating turbine blades and functional habitat loss through avoidance of turbines. The balance between these two potential effects represents opposing extremes on a continuum and is influenced by several factors. Collisions have an obvious impact on survival, but the impacts of avoidance may be more insidious and potentially more significant for a population. It is reasonable to conclude that collisions are less likely when blades are motionless. Consequently, turbine shutdown systems (TSSs, “shutdown on demand” or “curtailment”), instigated as raptors approach operational turbines, may provide mitigation against collisions. By contrast, if avoidance is most likely, this could be independent of blade motion, and TSSs/curtailment would provide no mitigation against habitat loss. For birds tending to wariness of turbines, therefore, it is important to understand if it is conditional on blade motion. Scottish golden eagles show a strong propensity to avoid (be wary of) turbines, subject largely to the suitability of habitat at and surrounding turbine locations. A previous Scottish study found that approach distances to turbines by non-territorial eagles were unaffected by blade motion but were closer at higher wind speed. Here, we analyse movement data from a GPS-tagged territorial eagle and non-territorial eagles responding to the motion status (and wind speed) of turbines at another Scottish wind farm. Eagles’ approach distances to turbines were only weakly affected by blade motion but were closer at higher wind speed. We again found that habitat suitability in and around turbine locations was strongly influential on eagles’ approach distance to turbines. Our confirmation that blade motion had little effect on Scottish golden eagles’ wariness of turbines suggests that for eagles that are prone to avoid turbines, their wariness is a response to turbines <i>per se</i>, and not blades’ movement. In our study system, and others where avoidance is the predominant response, curtailment of turbines’ operation on birds’ close approaches, or making turbine blades more obvious, should, therefore, have little material influence on functional habitat loss impacts. If true, this has important implications for wind farm designs and any proposed mitigation.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/1/71renewable energywind farmraptorGPS-telemetryturbine curtailmentrisk assessment |
| spellingShingle | Alan H. Fielding David Anderson Stuart Benn John Taylor Ruth Tingay Ewan D. Weston D. Philip Whitfield Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat Diversity renewable energy wind farm raptor GPS-telemetry turbine curtailment risk assessment |
| title | Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat |
| title_full | Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat |
| title_fullStr | Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat |
| title_short | Approach Distances of Scottish Golden Eagles <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i> to Wind Turbines According to Blade Motion Status, Wind Speed, and Preferred Habitat |
| title_sort | approach distances of scottish golden eagles i aquila chrysaetos i to wind turbines according to blade motion status wind speed and preferred habitat |
| topic | renewable energy wind farm raptor GPS-telemetry turbine curtailment risk assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/1/71 |
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