Wind Power and Bird Studies

Studies done in the past 15 years have documented the numbers and types of birds that collide with wind turbines. In the studies, turbines are searched systematically by trained personnel for several months to several years.

The information provided below was extracted from those studies.

NorthEast
Midwest
West
Canada

• Site...8 older turbines at Princeton Wind Farm, a forested site near the Watchusett Mountain State Forest and hawk watch.
• Date...Surveys conducted in autumn and winter, 1993.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

New York      

 Madison

• Site... 7 modern turbines at farmland site in Central New York.
• Date..One year of surveys conducted 2001-2002.
• Findings...Four bird fatalities recorded.

• Site...2 modern turbines at farmland site 30 miles inland from Lake Ontario.
• Date..Surveys conducted during spring and autumn migration seasons, 1994.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

Pennsylvania

• Site...8 modern turbines at farmland site in Somerset County, Southwestern Pa.
• Date..One year of surveys 2000-2001.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

Vermont

• Site......11 modern turbines at forested site near Searsburg.
• Date.......Surveys conducted in June through October, 1996.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

• Site...3 modern turbines in farmland near Algona.
• Date...Surveys conducted three seasons.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

Kansas

• Site...2 modern wind turbines in grassland prairie near St. Mary's.
• Date...Surveys conducted in 3 migration seasons.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

• Site...200+ turbine site at Buffalo Ridge, a farmland area near Lake Benton.
• Date...Surveys conducted 1997-2002.
• Findings...53 bird fatalities recorded. One raptor. No endangered or threatened species.

• Site...31 modern turbines located on farmland on the Door County peninsula.
• Date...1999-2000
• Findings...21 bird fatalities recorded, mostly song birds.

  Altamont

• Site...5,400 turbine site (mostly older) on grassland.
• Date...Surveys conducted 1989-2002. Several studies, some ongoing.
• Findings...Significant raptor mortality recorded. (Exceptionally high raptor and prey density.) Small numbers of some other species involved.

Montezuma Hills

• Site...237 older and 11 modern turbines in farmland near Sacramento River.
• Date...2+ years of surveys.
• Findings...10 raptor, 2 songbird, 1 duck fatality recorded

  San Gorgonio Pass

• Site...2,700 modern and older turbines at desert site in Palm Springs area.
• Findings...Recent studies indicate very few bird fatalities.

  Tehachapi Pass

• Site...3,700 modern and older turbines in study at rangeland/arid grassland site.
• Findings...Recent surveys indicate low (perhaps moderate) level of avian mortality. Small numbers raptor fatalities recorded.

Colorado

• Site...29 turbine site (modern) on cattle and bison rangeland at Ponnequin. (15 turbines added in 2001.)
• Date...Surveys conducted 1998-2002.
• Findings...16 bird fatalities recorded. (One raptor.) No endangered/threatened species.

• Site...38 modern turbines on wheat and grazing lands at Vansycle, Umatilla County.
• Date...Surveys conducted 1999.
• Findings...8 song bird and 4 game bird fatalities recorded. Zero raptors or endangered/threatened species.

Wyoming

• Site...105 modern turbines on rangeland near Arlington, Wyoming.
• Date...Surveys conducted 1998 through 2000.
• Findings...75 bird fatalities recorded. Mostly songbird migrants, 3 raptors.

  Le Nordais, Quebec

• Site...133 modern turbines at forested site on the Gaspe.
• Date...Surveys of 26 turbines conducted over two migration seasons.
• Findings...Zero bird fatalities recorded.

To put the numbers given above in perspective, go to What Kills Birds?