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WIND FARMS

WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

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Page 1: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

WIND FARMS

Page 2: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 3: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

The causes include poisoning, closures of garbage dumps and feeding stations, shortages of live prey, electrocution, shooting, predation of the broods (e.g. by introduced species like racoons), etc.

The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries

Page 4: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

And here is a new one

Page 5: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 6: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

N O T

A F R A I D

Page 7: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

BLADES CAN TRAVEL AT 300 KMH AT THE TIP

Page 8: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

HALF A WING CHOPPED…

Page 9: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

SLICED DOWN THE MIDDLE…

Page 10: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Griffon Vulture :

SMASHED

Page 11: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 12: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

VULTURE MORTALITY IN SPAIN :

- Lekuona report, 2001 368 turbines ! 409 griffon vultures - North of Soria : 200 griffon vult. - North of Castellón : 273 wind turbines ! 177 griffon vultures - one windfarm in Western Navarre ! over 100 griffon vultures -Tarifa ! dozens of griffon vultures (and 6 egyptian vultures) No cumulative study… 1,000-2,000 griffon vultures a year

Page 13: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Courtesy of biologist Joris Everaert, Belgium

Page 14: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

GERMANY : 126 RED KITE CARCASSES

FOUND UNDER WIND TURBINES

( 116 as at July 27, 2009

as per next chart )

Page 15: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

BIRD MORTALITY STATISTICS AT WINDFARMS IN GERMANY

116. Red kites 15 Black kites 122 Buzzards 35 Kestrels 40 White-tailed eagles

Page 16: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

IT IS THE TIP

OF THE ICEBERG

Page 17: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

ANNUALLY, 200-300 RED KITES ARE KILLED BY WIND TURBINES IN GERMANY

( as estimated by Ubbo Mammen, speaker at the Symposium )

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SPAIN : SOME RED KITES REPORTED KILLED

SHODDY MONITORING

REMOVAL OF CARCASSES

OPACITY

TAMPERING WITH DATA

Page 19: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

UK : TWO RED KITES KILLED IN WALES, ONE IN SCOTLAND

VERY LITTLE MONITORING

BIASED STUDIES

COVERING UP MORTALITY

Page 20: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

FRANCE : TWO RED KITES CARCASSES FOUND

LITTLE MONITORING IF ANY

Page 21: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

ITALY

Stefano Allavena, president of ALTURA Association for the Protection of Birds of Prey and of their Habitats, Rome

Page 22: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Read emails from Mr Allavena : URL in next frame !

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LINK TO THE 3 EMAILS FROM MR ALLAVENA : www.iberica2000.org/documents/eolica/bird_mortality/RED_KITE_MORTALITY_ITALY

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In all likelihood, their disappearance is due to death by collision, for there is no evidence that red kites are afraid of windfarms. Besides, open-space raptors are often seen flying close to wind turbines (Dr Lekuona 2001, Dr. Smallwood 2004)

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There are only 310-400 breeding pairs of Red Kites in Italy. ALTURA warn that 15,000 wind turbines in their country would be a major factor in the extirpation of the Red Kite, the Egyptian Vulture, and the Bonelli’s Eagle.

Page 26: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

THE WIND INDUSTRY PLANS TO ERECT 3,750,000 WIND TURBINES WORLDWIDE

Page 27: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

25 birds/turbine/year + 200 birds/km/new High Tension lines = 250 million birds/year

Page 28: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 29: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Courtesy of biologist Joris Everaert, Belgium

Page 30: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Courtesy of biologist Joris Everaert, Belgium

Page 31: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 32: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

WILL MITIGATION HELP?

THE ALTAMONT EXPERIENCE - Moving the turbines - Repowering - Land management - Stopping the turbines part time

Mostly unsuccessful

Page 33: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 34: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED THAT RAPTORS FLY CLOSER TO WIND TURBINES THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED BY CHANCE ( Thelander et al. 2003 )

Page 35: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

The recently-moved topsoil around wind turbines attracts burrow-dwelling rodents that attract raptors.

Page 36: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 37: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

The latest report from California found another important reason :

DECLIVITY WINDS

Page 38: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Raptors and windfarms use slopes and ridges exposed to the prevailing winds

Page 39: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Raptors and windfarms are therefore…. on a collision course

Page 40: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

And the raptors are losing

Page 41: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

White-tailed eagle

Norway

Page 42: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Decline of the rare Egyptian vulture: new study, Estación Biológica de Doñana: biggest drop in nest sites where windfarms have been built

Page 43: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

The new census of the Egyptian vulture population is what led to this finding. Martina Carrete believes that similar conclusions may be drawn about other raptor species when their populations are next censed.

Page 44: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

For 6 years, I have myself been trying to warn bird societies that this was bound to occur. Earlier this year, Spanish Birdlife (SEO) responded by an apparent change in policy. Let’s hope other bird societies will respond before it is too late.

Page 45: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

LATEST REPORT FROM ALTAMONT PASS WINDFARM, CALIFORNIA (Dr Smallwood et al. 2009) reveals that mortality at windfarms has been underestimated.

Page 46: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

62 tubular-tower wind turbines totalling 22 MW killed by collision 115 raptors per annum - highest raptor/turbine mortality in the world. Dr Smallwood et al. 2009

Page 47: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL
Page 48: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

UNDERESTIMATION, WHY ?

- The swamping bias - The no-find bias - The search frequency bias - The crippling bias (previous picture)

- The radius bias - The outsider bias (Dr Smallwood et al. 2009)

Page 49: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

CONCLUSION :

Unless a minimum setback of 3 km is respected between wind turbines and red kites’ nests and roosting places, the red kite could be headed for extinction.

Page 50: WIND FARMS AND RED KITES - Climategate Klimaat€¦ · The red kite is under threat in a number of European countries. And here is a new one. N O T A F R A I D . BLADES CAN TRAVEL

Mark Duchamp

Environmentalist

Director, Iberica 2000

President, Save the Eagles International