ELECTROCUTIONS & COLLISIONS OF BIRDS IN EU COUNTRIES: THE NEGATIVE IMPACT & BEST PRACTICES FOR MITIGATION

 

Foreword

Electric power is still regarded to be a major benefit for humankind, but it is also turning out to be a significant threat for wildlife. Transmission and distribution electricity grids are expanding rapidly worldwide with significant negative impacts on biodiversity. Unfortunately, the routes of Eurasian migratory birds are often concentrated in the regions where mankind has erected the most elaborate networks of electric power lines.

In recent years, awareness has risen surrounding the dangerous interactions of birds and electric power lines. Electrocution and collisions are substantial mortality factors for numerous bird species, despite the increasing number of mitigation measures implemented worldwide. The risk of powerlines for birds is still an underestimated reason for mortality in some countries and regions and, overall, the data are either missing or absolutely insufficient. Hence, there is neither a legal setting for the mitigation of collisions with power lines, nor for electrocution. In some countries, only sporadic data are recorded by local experts and the wider public. Nevertheless, despite the fact that greater investment in scientific research aimed at bridging gaps is needed - current knowledge already offers a solid basis for actions to improve the safety of electric power lines.

This document provides a general overview of the current handling and knowledge of the ’birds vs. power lines’ issue at national level in all 27 European (EU) member states through responses to a questionnaire prepared by Raptor Protection of Slovakia. The questionnaire was sent to a number of non-governmental organisations, Bird Life International offices, and electric utility companies. Unfortunately, low-quality information was retrieved from some countries. This possibly reflects the fact that available information on the subject of bird-power line interactions is genuinely limited and/or that relevant stakeholders are just not aware of the topic. Nevertheless, some of the missing information could be retrieved from scientific (and other) publications and documents. Through these sources, it was possible to prepare this document to present an up-to-date account of the scale and impact of electrocution and collision of birds with power lines. It also provides recommendations for actions and examples of best practices to reduce bird mortality.

We hope that this short overview can serve as a framework for implementing best practice standards to reduce bird mortalities, to document utility actions, to improve service reliability, and to comply with bird protection laws in the EU. An EU-wide implementation can set the ground for adaption in flyway regions with extraordinary demand for effective practical measures like the Balkans, Middle East, or East Africa.

Raptor Protection of Slovakia

 

• Raptor Protection of Slovakia (2021). Electrocutions & Collisions of Birds in EU Countries: The Negative Impact & Best Practices for Mitigation. Raptor Protection of Slovakia-Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union/BirdLife Germany (NABU). 103 pp. [PDF]