PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In France, Belgium and Portugal there are over 180,000 km of high and very high voltage electric lines and 1.65 million km of medium and low voltage lines. The electricity system is highly meshed, threatening some bird species which face multiple risks: collision with electric cables, electrocution and disturbance. The risk of collision with electric cables depends on birds’ ability to see and avoid these wires as well as on weather-related issues. Every year millions of birds die after colliding with power lines, causing high mortality rates in some species. Electrocution occurs when a bird touches 2-phase conductors or 1 conductor and an earthed device. Thousands of birds die because of this every year. In addition, birds’ activities, especially breeding, are disrupted by maintenance work on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. This can lead to nest abandonment and poor reproduction. Some protected European bird species are more vulnerable to electrocution and collision with wires due to their size, body structure, behaviour and distribution. The 13 species targeted by this project are some of those most impacted by power lines.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFELINES4BIRDS’ overall objective is to reduce non-natural mortality of 13 bird species caused by power lines. The aim is to ensure that high-risk power lines and dangerous poles and transmission towers are retrofitted using state-of-the-art methods and innovative technical standards for bird safety. The species targeted are the little bustard, bearded vulture, Bonelli’s eagle, cinereous vulture, Egyptian vulture, lesser kestrel, common crane, osprey, white stork, black stork, Eurasian woodcock, Eurasian curlew and northern lapwing.
New anti-collision equipment and methods will help address mortality caused by collisions. The project plans to install 3,880 beacons which should reduce collisions by 43-80%, while the American Avian Collision Avoidance System will be tested at 2 sites to reduce collision-related mortality by up to 98%. Some power lines will also be dismantled and put underground. To tackle electrocution, 750 poles will be equipped with neutralisation and deterrence devices, and 184 nesting platforms will be installed. On top of this, the design of high-risk pylons will be modified, with 10 of these changed. To avoid disturbing birds, unmanned aerial vehicles will be used for maintenance and planning of work will be adapted to breeding seasons.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- Cinereous vulture: 50% reduction of mortality nationally from power lines;
- Bonelli’s eagle: 25% reduction in mortality for the entire French population;
- Bearded vulture and Egyptian vulture: 75% reduction of collisions and 90% of electrocutions in target sites, 2 fledgings saved from disturbance per year;
- Little bustard and common crane: 86% decrease of collisions in target sites;
- Northern lapwing, Eurasian curlew and Eurasian woodcock: 80% decrease in mortality caused by power lines;
- Lesser kestrel: 90% reduction in electrocutions in target sites;
- Black stork and osprey: elimination of 100% of disturbances; and
- White stork: preservation of at least 158 white stork pairs in France and Portugal.
