Dodging the blades: new insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus

Marine ecology progress series

, Elizabeth A. Masden¹  , Lee Barber¹  Chris B. Thaxter¹  , Gary D. Clewley¹  *, Viola H. Ross-Smith¹  , Greg J. Conway¹  , Nigel A. Clark¹  , Willem Bouten² 

[1] British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK;Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands

关键词: GPS telemetry;    Renewable energy;    Seabird;    Collision risk;    Avoidance;    Human-wildlife conflict;    Protected site;   

DOI  :  10.3354/meps12415

学科分类：海洋学与技术

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

GPS telemetry is improving our understanding of the way animals interact with their environment. Recent research has used this technology to assess the impact of offshore wind farms (OWFs) on seabirds, but few studies have collected fine-scale data from birds flying within OWFs. We use GPS telemetry to investigate movements of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus in relation to OWFs from a protected site with an active breeding colony. Individual birds varied considerably in their use of OWFs; 15 out of 24 birds visited them, and time spent in these areas was 1.3% of time budgets across all birds. Two birds, for which the most data was collected, frequently entered OWFs and flew at turbine blade height; however, their overlap with the spherical 3-dimensional rotor swept volume was significantly lower than a random distribution. Although preliminary, these tracking data suggest a lack of a macro-scale (wind farm-scale) avoidance for L. fuscus but a potential meso-scale (within wind farm-scale) avoidance of turbines. Such data are therefore important in improving our understanding of the implications of OWFs for seabirds.

【 授权许可】

Unknown