Wind energy and birdlife

For all those who want to know more, we are sharing the most important inputs from our colleague Christiane Steinbacher, EWS Biology Team Leader, following the event "Nature on the rise - dialogue on wind energy, nature conservation and spatial planning".

The discussion surrounding wind energy and bird protection is often emotional and polarising. Opponents and conspiracy theorists often refer to wind turbines as "bird shredders" - an exaggerated depiction that is scientifically untenable. 

Some bird species are at risk of collision, but by no means all of them. It is astonishing that precisely those species that are considered particularly susceptible to collision show stable or even increasing population trends in many places. At the same time, field and meadow birds have been declining massively for years. Those concerned about native birdlife should not blame the wind energy industry. The main causes for the decline of many bird species - especially field and meadow birds, whose populations have fallen by around 40 % (!) over the past 25 years - lie in other developments such as:

• Intensification of agriculture
• Use of pesticides
• Loss of natural habitats due to soil sealing
• Effects of climate change

However, the possible effects of individual wind farms and their cumulative effects must also be taken into account in the coming years in order to ensure that the expansion of wind energy is sustainable.

Careful planning as the key to environmentally friendly implementation

The right choice of location in the federal states is crucial. Equally important is a good database and the development of action plans. 

"For wind energy projects, we carry out extensive surveys over two breeding and rearing periods and two winter periods - especially on birds of prey and large birds such as red kites, black storks and imperial eagles," explains Christiane Steinbacher. "Depending on the area, altitude and requirements of the nature conservation experts, we also examine grouse, owls and nightjars, for example."

On the basis of these surveys, our 9-strong biology team develops targeted measures to harmonise nature and project compatibility in the best possible way. These include:

• Sufficiently large distances to nests and flight corridors
• If necessary, the creation of additional habitats in the form of fallow fields or extensive grassland
• Setting aside sensitive forest areas
• If necessary, the use of camera shutdown systems

There are currently 1,447 wind turbines in Austria. Assuming that one to two hectares of species-rich compensation areas have been created per turbine, a total of around 1,500 to 3,000 hectares of valuable habitat have been created, particularly in eastern Austria - the equivalent of more than 4,000 football pitches. Not only birds of prey benefit from these measures, but also those species that are currently under particular pressure: our field and meadow birds.

Wind energy shows that climate protection and species conservation are not contradictory per se. On the contrary: the expansion of renewable energies makes a significant contribution to the long-term protection of our natural habitats - and therefore also our birdlife.