Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale

Journal Article

Title: Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale

Author:

Serratosa, J.; Oppel, S.; Rotics, S.; Santangeli, A.; Butchart, S.; Cano-Alonso, L.; Telleria, J.; Kemp, R.; Nicholas, A.; Kalvans, A.

Publication Date:

May 1, 2024

Journal:

Biological Conservation

Volume:

293

Pages:

110525

Publisher:

Elsevier

Affiliation

BirdLife International, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Tel Aviv University, Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados: IMEDEA, University of Cambridge

Technology:

Wind Energy

Stressor:

Collision

Receptor:

Birds

Document Access

Website:

External Link

Attachment:

Access File

Citation

Serratosa, J.; Oppel, S.; Rotics, S.; Santangeli, A.; Butchart, S.; Cano-Alonso, L.; Telleria, J.; Kemp, R.; Nicholas, A.; Kalvans, A. (2024). Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale. Biological Conservation, 293, 110525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110525

@article{Serratosa-2024-2080399,
author = {Serratosa, J and Oppel, S and Rotics, S and Santangeli, A and Butchart, S and Cano-Alonso, L and Telleria, J and Kemp, R and Nicholas, A and Kalvans, A},
title = {Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale},
journal = {Biological Conservation},
year = {2024},
month = {may},
publisher = {Elsevier},
volume = {293},
pages = {110525},
doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110525},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320724000867?via%3Dihub},
keywords = {Wind Energy, Collision, Birds},
}

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TY - JOUR
TI - Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale
AU - Serratosa, J
AU - Oppel, S
AU - Rotics, S
AU - Santangeli, A
AU - Butchart, S
AU - Cano-Alonso, L
AU - Telleria, J
AU - Kemp, R
AU - Nicholas, A
AU - Kalvans, A
T2 - Biological Conservation
AB - Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45 species, including raptors, storks, and cranes, covering the period from 2003 to 2021. Our results show a higher frequency of human-induced causes of mortality than natural causes across taxonomic groups, geographical areas, and age classes. Moreover, we found that the frequency of human-induced mortality remained stable over the study period. From the human-induced mortality events with a known cause (n = 637), three main causes were identified: electrocution (40.5 %), illegal killing (21.7 %), and poisoning (16.3 %). Additionally, combined energy infrastructure-related mortality (i.e., electrocution, power line collision, and wind-farm collision) represented 49 % of all human-induced mortality events. Using a random forest model, the main predictors of human-induced mortality were found to be taxonomic group, geographic location (latitude and longitude), and human footprint index value at the location of mortality. Despite conservation efforts, human drivers of bird mortality in the African-Eurasian flyway do not appear to have declined over the last 15 years for the studied group of species. Results suggest that stronger conservation actions to address these threats across the flyway can reduce their impacts on species. In particular, projected future development of energy infrastructure is a representative example where application of planning, operation, and mitigation measures can enhance bird conservation.
DA - 2024/05//
PY - 2024
PB - Elsevier
VL - 293
SP - 110525
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320724000867?via%3Dihub
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110525
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Collision
KW - Birds
ER -

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Abstract

Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45 species, including raptors, storks, and cranes, covering the period from 2003 to 2021. Our results show a higher frequency of human-induced causes of mortality than natural causes across taxonomic groups, geographical areas, and age classes. Moreover, we found that the frequency of human-induced mortality remained stable over the study period. From the human-induced mortality events with a known cause (n = 637), three main causes were identified: electrocution (40.5 %), illegal killing (21.7 %), and poisoning (16.3 %). Additionally, combined energy infrastructure-related mortality (i.e., electrocution, power line collision, and wind-farm collision) represented 49 % of all human-induced mortality events. Using a random forest model, the main predictors of human-induced mortality were found to be taxonomic group, geographic location (latitude and longitude), and human footprint index value at the location of mortality. Despite conservation efforts, human drivers of bird mortality in the African-Eurasian flyway do not appear to have declined over the last 15 years for the studied group of species. Results suggest that stronger conservation actions to address these threats across the flyway can reduce their impacts on species. In particular, projected future development of energy infrastructure is a representative example where application of planning, operation, and mitigation measures can enhance bird conservation.