Impacts of Wind Farms on Birds: A Review

The impacts of wind farms on New Zealand bird species and populations are unknown. This document reviews available literature on the impacts of on shore wind farms on birds, based on studies in other countries. A key finding is that wind farms tend to have variable effects on bird populations, which can be species-,season- and/or site-specific. The impacts include collision fatalities, habitat loss and disturbance resulting in displacement. The main factors that contribute to collision fatalities are proximity to areas of high bird density or frequency of movements (migration routes, staging areas, wintering areas), bird species (some are more prone to collision or displacement than others), landscape features that concentrate…