“Our results highlight, for the first time, distinct patterns of population- and subpopulation-level vulnerability for a wide variety of bird species found dead at renewable energy facilities. Of the 23 priority bird species killed at renewable facilities, 11 (48%) were either highly or moderately vulnerable, experiencing a greater than or equal to 20% decline in the population growth rates with the addition of up to either 1000 or 5000 fatalities, respectively.” …

“Despite being the focus of massive conservation efforts [74–76], bird populations across North America have declined by nearly 3 billion individuals in less than 50 years [27], and similar bird declines are occurring across the world (e.g. [77]). Although we focused on direct mortality, renewable energy also may cause indirect and sub-lethal effects, for example, through displacement of birds and disruption of habitat. Furthermore, wind and solar are part of a suite of anthropogenic stressors that are relevant to avian populations. For example, climate change, habitat loss and degradation, pesticides, killing by domestic cats, and collision with transmission lines, vehicles and buildings [25,78–81] all can directly or indirectly affect bird populations.” …

“Critically, not only local but also non-local, and often very distant, subpopulations often were vulnerable to additional fatalities at California renewable energy facilities.”

Vulnerability of avian populations to renewable energy production. Tara J. Conkling, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Taber D. Allison, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Thomas V. Dietsch, Adam E. Duerr, Amy L. Fesnock, Rebecca R. Hernandez, Scott R. Loss, David M. Nelson, Peter M. Sanzenbacher, Julie L. Yee, and Todd E. Katzner

Published:30 March 2022  https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211558

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211558