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
    Bird and Bat Impacts and Behaviors at Old Wind Turbines at Forebay, Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area Smallwood, K., Neher, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Bat Mortality Due to Wind Turbines in Canada Zimmerling, J., Francis, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Understanding the Risk of European Protected Species (Bats) at Onshore Wind Turbine Sites to Inform Risk Management Mathews, F., Richardson, S., Lintott, P., Hosken, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Seasonal activity patterns of European bats above intensively used farmland Heim, O., Schröder, A., Eccard, J., Jung, K., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bats in a tropical wind farm: species composition and importance of the spatial attributes of vegetation cover on bat fatalities Bolivar-Cime, B., Bolivar-Cime, A., Cabrera-Cruz, S., Munoz-Jimenez, O., Villegas-Patraca, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Post-Construction Avian and Bat Mortality Monitoring at the Alta X Wind Energy Project, Kern County, California. Final Report for the Second Year of Operation: April 2015 – April 2016 Thompson, J., Boyd, C., Lombardi, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    The Impacts of Small and Medium Wind Turbines on Bats Moyle, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
    Multiple Mortality Events in Bats: A Global Review O'Shea, T., Cryan, P., Hayman, D., Plowright, R., Streicker, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Scavenging of small bird carrion in southwestern Germany by beetles, birds and mammals Henrich, M., Tietze, D., Wink, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Guidelines for Conducting Bird and Bat Studies at Commercial Wind Energy Projects New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Bats in a Mediterranean Mountainous Landscape: Does Wind Farm Repowering Induce Changes at Assemblage and Species Level? Ferri, V., Battisti, C., Soccini, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Aerial-Hawking Bats Can Glean Prey Items From Surfaces Similar to Wind Turbine Towers: Implications for Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Facilities Jarzombek, L. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
    Surface Texture Discrimination by Bats: Implications for Reducing Bat Mortality at Wind Turbines Bienz, C. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
    The habitat association of bats in the South Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada: Radar-acoustic surveys to assess the use of vineyards by insectivorous bats (Vespertilionidae) Dagenais, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Reducing the Collision Risk for Bats at Onshore Wind Turbines (RENEBAT II) Behr, O., Brinkmann, R., Korner-Nievergelt, F., Nagy, M., Niermann, I., Reich, M., Simon, R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Impact of Wind Energy on Bats: A Summary of Our Current Knowledge Hein, C., Schirmacher, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
    Mitigating Wind Energy Impacts on Wildlife: Approaches for Multiple Taxa Arnett, E., May, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Wind Energy Development: Methods for Assessing Risks to Birds and Bats Pre-Construction Katzner, T., Bennett, V., Miller, T., Duerr, A., Braham, M., Hale, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Framework for Testing the Effectiveness of Bat and Eagle Impact-Reduction Strategies at Wind Energy Projects Sinclair, K., DeGeorge, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Raptors, Birds, Bats
    Habitat use of migratory bats killed during autumn at wind turbines Voigt, C., Lindecke, O., Schonborn, S., Kramer-Schadt, S., Lehmann, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
    Wind Energy Development: Methods to Assess Bird and Bat Fatality Rates Post-Construction Huso, M., Dalthorp, D., Miller, T., Bruns, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Assessing spring direct mortality to avifauna from wind energy facilities in the Dakotas Graff, B., Jenks, J., Stafford, J., Jensen, K., Grovenburg, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Bat Evaluation Monitoring Studies at the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm Benton County, Indiana: August 3 - October 14, 2015 Good, R., Iskali, G., Nasman, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Genetic Diversity in Migratory Bats: Results from RADseq Data for Three Tree Bat Species at an Ohio Windfarm Sovic, M., Carstens, B., Gibbs, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Problematic Wildlife: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach Angelici, F. Book Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds, Bats
    2015 Bird and Bat Post Construction Monitoring Report – Laurel Mountain Wind Energy Project Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Impacts to Birds and Bats Due to Collisions and Electrocutions from Some Tall Structures in the United States: Wires, Towers, Turbines, and Solar Arrays - State of the Art in Addressing the Problems Manville, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds, Bats
    Using DNA barcoding to improve bat carcass identification at wind farms in the United States Korstian, J., Hale, A., Bennett, V., Williams, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Assessing local population vulnerability with branching process models: an application to wind energy development Erickson, R., Eager, E., Stanton, J., Beston, J., Diffendorfer, J., Thogmartin, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Impact of wind facilities on bats in the Neotropics Rodríguez-Durán, A., Feliciano-Robles, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Attraction Bats
    La conservación de los murciélagos y el desarrollo eólico: El caso de Chile Ossa, G, Juarez, C., Vargas-Rodriguez, R Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
    Surface Texture Differentiation Using Synthetic Bat Echolocation Calls: Implications for Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Turbines Yuen, B. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction Bats
    Synopsis des internationalen Kenntnisstandes zum Einfluss der Windenergie auf Fledermäuse und Vögel und Spezifizierung für die Schweiz Muller, J., Warnke, M., Reichenbach, M., Köppel, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Post-Construction Avian and Bat Fatality at the Horse Butte Wind Facility, Years 1–3 SWCA Environmental Consultants Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Bat Fatalities at Wind Turbines: Investigating the Causes and Consequences Cryan, P. Website Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Another Blown in the Wind: Bats and the Licensing of Wind Farms in Brazil Valença, R., Bernard, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Arkwright Summit Wind Farm Acoustic and Mist-Net Bat Survey Report Sichmeller, T., Bay, K., Young, D., Fritchman, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Managing coexistence for bats and wind turbines Alvarez-Castaneda, T., Lidicker, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Impacts of Wind Energy on Environment: A Review Wang, S., Wang, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats, Birds
    Final progress report of a 12 month pre - construction bat monitoring study for the Proposed Waaihoek Wind Energy Facility near Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal Kruger, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Displaying 241 - 280 of 657 results