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Wind Turbines Kill a Few Birds

Posted by michael on from the cuisinart dept.

Guppy06 writes "The Houston Chronicle has an article about how a 7000-turbine windfarm in Altamont Pass, California (the world's largest collection) has killed an estimated 22,000 birds during the past 20 years or so of operation, 'including hundreds of golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, kestrels and other raptors(.)' There are efforts to keep the operators from renewing their permit until they take measures to protect bird populations. To put things in perspective the article goes on to point out that the Exxon Valdez spill is estimated to have killed around 250,000, while the whole story can just about be summed up by one quote by a biologist: 'When you turn on your lights you kill something, no matter what the source of electricity.'" Killing 3-4 birds per day doesn't seem too bad. It's a shame that larger, rarer birds are getting killed, but... How many birds would die from the acid rain that a coal power plant would cause?

8 of 991 comments (clear)

  1. Eh... Big deal... by iiioxx · · Score: 5, Funny

    Evolution in action. Obviously it only kills the dumb birds, the *smart* birds fly *around* the propellors...

    I wish we could take this tact with the human population. I say, take the warning labels off of everything and let the chips fall where they may.

  2. Re:Solution ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just put up a giant scarecrow in the middle of the turbine farm.

  3. Re:Solution ? by Washizu · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Why not put big metal grid around each turbine?"

    Ever see a flock of birds stuck to a giant fan?

    --
    OddManIn: A Game of guns and game theory.
  4. Easy solution! by Rinikusu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hunters. Get hunters to stand below the turbines and SHOOT the birds before they can be chopped to pieces.

    Oh wait, we're saving the BIRDS not the TURBINES.. damn damn damn!

    --
    If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
  5. Re:Solution ? Duh.. by cheeseSource · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just encase the fans in glass.

    --
    (Sponsored by cheeseSource for President 2012)
  6. Re:I think it has something to do with location by cnkeller · · Score: 5, Funny
    I remember seeing something about it's location being in a migratory flight path and other wind projects did not have the same problem.

    Nah, it's probably the guy that hung the birdfeeders behind the turbine....

    --

    there are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots

  7. Re:Solution ? by kfg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nonsense. I know lots of people with cancer and the correlation with living under the influence of earth's magnetic field is remarkably high.

    KFG

  8. Oh, great idea by Dirtside · · Score: 5, Funny
    Just put up a giant scarecrow in the middle of the turbine farm.
    Yeah, let's erect an enormous scarecrow amidst a bunch of energy-generating machines. First time there's a lightning storm you just know there's gonna be some Frankenstein action going on, and then we've got a hundred-foot scarecrow rampaging across California, slashing budget programs and repealing taxes left and right... wait, that's the governor.

    On the plus side, we'd have to get Godzilla and Mothra to team up against the scarecrow, so, it wouldn't be a complete loss.

    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased