Collisions with wind turbines are a documented threat to the lives of individual raptors. However, wind development also impacts the structure of nesting raptor communities, a discovery that could impact approaches to raptor conservation in the future.
The team found that Golden Eagles, Ferruginous Hawks, and Prairie Falcons, all of which breed in the study region, declined in abundance on project sites. This outcome aligns with the relative sensitivity of these species to anthropogenic change and underscores the reality that the nesting success of these species is compromised by wind development in this region.
Wind power development can affect entire raptor communities, not just individuals
The video mentions the movement to 800 foot windmills.