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Mortality of bats at wind turbines links to nocturnal insect migration?

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Abstract

This note is based on a literature search and a recent review of bat mortality data from wind farms in Europe (published elsewhere). We suggest that mortality of bats at wind turbines may be linked to high-altitude feeding on migrating insects that accumulate at the turbine towers. Modern wind turbines seem to reach high enough into the airspace to interfere with the migratory movements of insects. The hypothesis is consistent with recent observations of bats at wind turbines. It is supported by the observation that mortality of bats at wind turbines is highly seasonal (August–September) and typically peaks during nights with weather conditions known to trigger large-scale migratory movements of insects (and songbirds). We also discuss other current hypotheses concerning the mortality of bats at wind turbines.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Swedish National Energy Administration and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency for funding. The reviewers kindly provided many helpful comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden

    Jens Rydell, Martin Green & Anders Hedenström

  2. Freilandforschung, zool. Gutachten, Hamfhofsweg 125b, 28357, Bremen, Germany

    Lothar Bach

  3. Société pour l’Etude et la Protection des Mammifères, c/o Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Bourges, Les Rives d’Auron, 18000, Bourges, France

    Marie-Jo Dubourg-Savage

  4. Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e da Biodiversidade, Rua de Santa Marta 55, 1150-294, Lisbon, Portugal

    Luísa Rodrigues

Authors
  1. Jens Rydell
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  2. Lothar Bach
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  3. Marie-Jo Dubourg-Savage
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  4. Martin Green
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  5. Luísa Rodrigues
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  6. Anders Hedenström
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jens Rydell.

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Communicated by: C. Gortázar

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Rydell, J., Bach, L., Dubourg-Savage, MJ. et al. Mortality of bats at wind turbines links to nocturnal insect migration?. Eur J Wildl Res 56, 823–827 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0444-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0444-3

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