"...understanding the...effects of wind farms on birds"
"...Using long-term monitoring data of a range of upland bird species at 18 wind farm sites in the UK, they compare breeding bird densities and population trends between years before, during and after wind farm construction. Moreover, they contrast these effects at wind farms with paired reference sites acting as controls. Using this method, they are able to show that in line with previous work (Barrios & Rodriguez 2004; Pearce-Higgins et al. 2009) the effects of wind farms on bird densities vary considerably among species. Of the 10 species they analyse data for, the densities of snipe Gallinago gallinago (L.), curlew Numenius arquata (L.) and red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus (Lath.), are lower during construction compared to pre-construction. While the densities of the latter appeared to recover during the first years of wind farm operation, the densities of both snipe and curlew remained depressed. Further support for the specific effect of wind farm construction as opposed to operation comes from two additional findings. First, curlew densities were also significantly lower during construction on wind farm sites, when compared to densities on paired control sites. Second, in spite of adverse effects on densities of some species during wind farm construction, the authors find little evidence for longer-term population declines in the years thereafter..."
http://www.journalofappliedecology.org/view/0/editorschoice492.html
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