Are Wind Farms Unsafe for Birds?
Wind energy was embraced early in California, prompted by tax incentives for investors. Altamont Pass, near San Francisco, looked particularly good, with its warm valley air meeting cool coastal air, driving the turbines at a time of high electricity demand. But birds hunt ground squirrels in the area, and for the eagles, hawks and owls, the enormous stretch of moving blades became a death trap. The company that ran the farm, Florida Power and Light, attempted to mitigate the disaster not only by installing nacelle screens to reduce the opportunity for birds to perch on turbines, but also through targeting rodents, possibly killing kit foxes and other small animals along with squirrels. Said a company spokesperson, “If we eliminate or reduce the number of prey on the ground, then the raptors won’t swoop in to feed on them.” Windpower Monthly, ” Environmentalists Get Tough: Legal action against Altamont bird kills.
