K (2013) Flight paths of migrating golden eagles and the risk associated with wind energy development in the Rocky Mountains. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8: 12
ABSTRACT. In recent years, the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia have received interest as a site of industrial wind energy development but, simultaneously, have been the subject of concern about wind development coinciding with a known migratory corridor of G...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1077.2578 http://www.ace-eco.org/vol8/iss2/art12/ACE-ECO-2013-608.pdf |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT. In recent years, the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia have received interest as a site of industrial wind energy development but, simultaneously, have been the subject of concern about wind development coinciding with a known migratory corridor of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). We tracked and quantified eagle flights that crossed or followed ridgelines slated for one such wind development. We found that hourly passage rates during fall migration peaked at midday and increased by 17% with each 1 km/h increase in wind speed and by 11% with each 1°C increase in temperature. The propensity to cross the ridge tops where turbines would be situated differed between age classes, with juvenile eagles almost twice as likely to traverse the ridge-top area as adults or subadults. During fall migration, Golden Eagles were more likely to cross ridges at turbine heights (risk zone, < 150 m above ground) under headwinds or tailwinds, but this likelihood decreased with increasing temperature. Conversely, during spring migration, eagles were more likely to move within the ridge-top area under eastern crosswinds. Identifying Golden Eagle flight routes and altitudes with respect to major weather systems and local topography in the Rockies may help identify scenarios in which the potential for collisions is greatest at this and other installations. RÉSUMÉ. Récemment, les contreforts des Rocheuses dans le nord-est de la Colombie-Britannique ont attiré l'attention comme site potentiel d'un développement éolien industriel, tout en faisant simultanément l'objet de préoccupations puisque ce projet coïnciderait avec un corridor de migration connu d'Aigles royaux (Aquila chrysaetos). Nous avons suivi et quantifié les vols d'aigles qui ont traversé ou longé les lignes de crêtes visées par un projet éolien de ce genre. Nous avons constaté que le taux de passage horaire durant la migration automnale atteignait un maximum à midi et augmentait de 17 % pour chaque km/h d'augmentation de ... |
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