Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa

BirdLife South Africa (2025). Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa. Report by BirdLife South Africa.

@techreport{BirdLife South Africa-2025-2082193,
author = {BirdLife South Africa},
title = {Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa},
institution = {BirdLife South Africa},
year = {2025},
month = {feb},
address = {Johannesburg, South Africa},
url = {https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Summary-of-Bird-Monitoring-Reports-Final-Version.pdf},
keywords = {Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Collision, Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Waterfowl},
}

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TY - RPRT
TI - Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa
AU - BirdLife South Africa
AB - This report provides an overview of the outcome of operational-phase monitoring and mitigation of wind energy’s impacts on birds in South Africa, covering the period from 2015 to 2023. Drawing on available reports and data, it summarises recorded fatality rates and provides an overview of the species affected and possible risk factors, building on BirdLife South Africa’s first review of this kind, published in 2017 (Ralston-Paton et al. 2017). Using case studies, it also presents the array of mitigation measures currently employed at South African wind farms and offer practical recommendations to address challenges encountered. This information is intended to be used to refine the planning, environmental impact assessment (EIA) and mitigation for the wave of WEFs in the pipeline, as well as identify priorities for research and policy intervention.
CY - Johannesburg, South Africa
DA - 2025/02//
PY - 2025
SP - 41
PB - BirdLife South Africa
UR - https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Summary-of-Bird-Monitoring-Reports-Final-Version.pdf
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Land-Based Wind
KW - Collision
KW - Birds
KW - Passerines
KW - Raptors
KW - Waterfowl
ER -

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Abstract

This report provides an overview of the outcome of operational-phase monitoring and mitigation of wind energy’s impacts on birds in South Africa, covering the period from 2015 to 2023. Drawing on available reports and data, it summarises recorded fatality rates and provides an overview of the species affected and possible risk factors, building on BirdLife South Africa’s first review of this kind, published in 2017 (Ralston-Paton et al. 2017). Using case studies, it also presents the array of mitigation measures currently employed at South African wind farms and offer practical recommendations to address challenges encountered. This information is intended to be used to refine the planning, environmental impact assessment (EIA) and mitigation for the wave of WEFs in the pipeline, as well as identify priorities for research and policy intervention.