Assessment of the Impacts of Green Mountain Power Corporation's Wind Power Facility on Breeding and Migrating Birds in Searsburg, Vermont: July 1996--July 1998

Karin Sinclair, Karin Sinclair (NREL Technical Monitor)

Research output: NRELSubcontract Report

Abstract

A 6-megawatt, 11 turbine wind power development was constructed by Green Mountain Power Corporation in Searsburg, southern Vermont, in 1996. To determine whether birds were impacted, a series of modified BA (Before, After) studies was conducted before construction (1993-1996), during (1996), and after (1997) construction on the project site. The studies were designed to monitor changes inbreeding bird community (species composition and abundance) on the site, examine the behavior and numbers of songbirds migrating at night over the site and hawks migrating over the site in daylight, and search for carcasses of birds that might have collided with the turbines. ; ; Overall, results of the studies suggest that the Searsburg, Vermont wind power facility does not pose a major threatto avian populations that breed on the site or migrate through the site. However, fewer interior forest breeding songbirds were heard singing in the area immediately surrounding the turbines. This effect may be transitory in that these birds may habituate and recolonize as the sites are partially reforested. However, until this is demonstrated, this disturbance should be recognized as apotential impact of this type of development, especially in northeastern forests.;
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages95
StatePublished - 2002

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/SR-500-28591

Keywords

  • bird breeding
  • bird migration
  • bird population
  • wind turbine

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