Summary of Bats and Land-Based Wind Energy Development in the United States and Canada

Hoary Bat

Deployment of wind energy over the past 20 years has increased renewable energy generation, but also raised concerns regarding the impact of wind turbine collisions on certain bat species (Friedenberg and Frick 2021). In 2012, the estimated number of bat fatalities from wind energy development in the United States and Canada ranged from 196,190 to 395,886 (Arnett and Baerwald 2013). The installed capacity across the two countries at the time was approximately 66,000 megawatts. Since then, the installed capacity of wind energy has more than doubled (Rand et al. 2020); therefore, the number of annual bat fatalities has likely increased as well.

A total of 22 species of bats have been reported as fatalities at wind energy facilities in the United States and Canada (American Wind Wildlife Institute 2020). Migratory tree-roosting species, including the hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), and silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), constitute approximately 72% of bat carcasses reported, but other species, such as the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis), can make up a significant portion of fatalities in the southern United States (Arnett and Baerwald 2013; Zimmerling and Francis 2016; American Wind Wildlife Institute 2020; Weaver et al. 2020). Wind turbines are also known to cause fatalities of federally endangered species including the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), northeastern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), and Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus), but occurrences are relatively rare (Erickson et al. 2016; Gorresen et al. 2020). Differences in behavior, abundance, and other factors likely contribute to the variability in fatality rates among bat species.

Data on relative age and sex of individual carcasses is inconclusive as it is difficult to determine this information from many of the carcasses that are recovered during searches (Korstian et al. 2013; Nelson et al. 2018; Chipps et al. 2020). The lack of demographic data for many bat species makes it difficult to assess the potential population-level impacts of wind turbines. Given that many species have a small population and slow growth rate, it has become increasingly important to better understand the long-term impact of wind energy on certain species of bats (Barclay and Harder 2003; Kunz et al. 2007; Russell et al. 2014; Frick et al. 2017; Friedenberg and Frick 2021).

    The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

    Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
    Bat fatalities at two wind farms in Tasmania, Australia: bat characteristics, and spatial and temporal patterns Hull, C., Cawthen, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Habitat Change Bats
    A retrospective tiered Environmental Assessment of the Mount Storm Wind Energy Facility, West Virginia, USA Efroymson, R., Day, R., Strickland, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
    Searchlight Wind Energy Project Bird and Bat Conservation Strategy Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
    An Update on the Status of Red Bats, Lasiurus blossevillii and Lasiurus borealis, in British Columbia Nagorsen, D., Paterson, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Avian and Bat Protection Plan Including Bird and Bat Conservation Strategies and an Eagle Conservation Plan: New Era Wind Project Westwood Professional Services Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Bat Mortalities at a Wind Energy Facility in North Dakota Bicknell, L., Gilliam, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
    Bat Mortality at a Wind Power Facility in Central Canada Jameson, J., Willis, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Wind development and wildlife mitigation in Wyoming: a primer Jakle, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats, Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
    Evidence of Late-Summer Mating Readiness and Early Sexual Maturation in Migratory Tree-Roosting Bats Found Dead at Wind Turbines Cryan, P., Jameson, J., Baerwald, E., Willis, C., Barclay, R., Snider, E., Crichton, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Guidelines for Reducing Impacts to Wildlife from Wind Energy Development in Arizona Arizona Game and Fish Department Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Bat Mortality at a Wind-Energy Facility in Southeastern Wisconsin Grodsky, S., Jennelle, C., Drake, D., Virzi, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Do you hear what I hear? Implications of detector selection for acoustic monitoring of bats Adams, A., Jantzen, M., Hamilton, R., Fenton, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Bats
    Hermosa West Wind Energy Project Draft EIS - Appendix F: Bat Acoustical Studies Taylor, K., Solick, D., Bay, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Bats
    The Catchment Area of Wind Farms for European Bats: A Plea for International Regulations Voigt, C., Popa-Lisseanu, A., Niermann, I., Kamer-Schadt, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Baseline investigations of bats and birds at wind turbine test Centre Asterild Therkildsen, O., Elmeros, M., Kahlert, J., Desholm, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds, Bats
    A Habitat-Based Wind-Wildlife Collision Model with Application to the Upper Great Plains Region Forcey, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds, Bats
    Scavenger removal: Bird and bat carcass persistence in a tropical wind farm Villegas-Patraca, R., Macias-Sanchez, S., Macgregor-Fors, I., Munoz-Robles, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Experimental Evidence for the Effect of Small Wind Turbine Proximity and Operation on Bird and Bat Activity Miderman, J., Pendlebury, C., Pearce-Higgins, J., Park, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Wind and Wildlife in the Northern Great Plains: Identifying Low-Impact Areas for Wind Development Fargione, J., Kiesecker, J., Slaats, M., Olimb, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Sveti Nikola Wind Farm Bat Monitoring Report 2011 RSK Group Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Fixing wind power's bat problem Kumagai, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Mating Eastern Red Bats Found Dead at a Wind Energy Facility Solick, D., Gruver, J., Clement, M., Murray, K., Courage, Z. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bat Fatalities at Wind Farms in Northern Spain - Lessons to be Learned Camina, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Avian and Bat Protection Plan for the Buckeye Wind Power Project Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Amendment to the On-Shore Bird and Bat Pre- and Post- Construction Monitoring Protocol for Commercial Wind Energy Facilities in Ohio Ohio Department of Natural Resources Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Bird and bat mortality at Portuguese wind farms Bernardino, J., Zina, H., Passos, I., Costa, H., Ramos-Pereira, M., Fonseca, C., Mascarenhas, M. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2012 Rodrigues, L. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
    The BIO-acoustic feature extraction and classification of bat echolocation calls Mirzaei, G., Majid, M., Ross, J., Jamali, M., Gorsevski, P., Frizado, J., Bingman, V. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Avian detection & tracking algorithm using infrared imaging Mirzaei, G., Majid, M., Ross, J., Jamali, M., Gorsevski, P., Frizado, J., Bingman, V. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    2011 Post-Construction Monitoring Study Criterion Wind Project Garrett County, Maryland Young, D., Lout, M., Courage, Z., Nomani, S., Bay, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Criterion Wind Project Avian Protection Plan Young, D., Tidhar, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions
    Best Management Practices for siting, developing, operating, and monitoring renewable energy in the Intermountain West: A Conservationist's Guide Jones, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Terrestrial Mammals, Raptors, Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds, Bats
    Putting Aeolus to work without the death toll: federal wind farm siting guidelines can mitigate avian and Chiropteran mortality Mensing, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
    Evidence of Latitudinal Migration in Tri-colored Bats, Perimyotis subflavus Fraser, E., McGuire, L., Eger, J., Longstaffe, F., Fenton, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
    Draft Black Oak & Getty Wind Avian and Bat Protection Plan Black Oak Wind, Getty Wind Company Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Avian and Bat Protection Plan for the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility Ocotillo Express Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
    Bat Monitoring Studies at the Fowler Ridge Wind Energy Facility Benton County, Indiana: April 1 - October 31, 2011 Good, R., Erickson, W., Merrill, A., Simon, S., Murray, K., Bay, K., Fritchman, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    A Forensic Investigation Into the Etiology of Bat Mortality at a Wind Farm: Barotrauma or Traumatic Injury? Rollins, K., Meyerholz, D., Johnson, G., Capparella, A., Loew, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Big Blue Wind Energy Project Avian and Bat Protection Plan Western Ecosystems Technology Inc (WEST) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
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