Geese migrating over the Pacific Ocean select altitudes coinciding with offshore wind turbine blades

作者：Emily L. Weiser, Cory T. Overton, David C. Douglas, Michael L. Casazza, Paul L. Flint · 发表于：Journal of Applied Ecology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2664.14612 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Avian ecology and behavior、Fire effects on ecosystems、Rangeland and Wildlife Management

Abstract Renewable energy facilities are a key part of mitigating climate change, but can pose threats to wild birds and bats, most often through collisions with infrastructure. Understanding collision risk and the factors affecting it can help minimize impacts on wild populations. For wind turbines, flight altitude is a major factor influencing collision risk, and altitude‐selection analyses can evaluate when and why animals fly at certain altitudes under certain conditions. We used GPS tags to track Pacific Flyway geese (Pacific greater white‐fronted goose, tule greater white‐fronted goose and lesser snow goose) on transoceanic migrations between Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the contiguous United States, an area where offshore windfarm development is beginning. We evaluated how geographic and environmental covariates affected (1) whether birds were at rest on the water versus in flight (binomial model) and (2) altitude selection when in flight (similar to a step‐selection framework). We then used a Monte Carlo simulation to predict the probability of flying at each altitude under various conditions, considering both the fly/rest decision and altitude selection. In both spring and fall, geese showed strong selection for altitudes within the expected rotor‐swept zone (20–200 m asl), with 56% of locations expected to be within the rotor‐swept zone under mean daylight conditions and 28% at night. This indicates a high possibility that migrating geese may be at risk of collis...