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
    Seasonally-Dynamic Presence-Only Species Distribution Models for a Cryptic Migratory Bat Impacted by Wind Energy Development Hayes, M., Cryan, P., Wunder, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Post-Construction Avian and Bat Mortality Monitoring at the Alta Wind Energy Center, Phase X, Kern County, California. Final Report for the First Year of Operation: March 2014 – March 2015 Chatfield, A., Levenstein, K., DiDonato, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    ACME: A Partially Periodic Estimator of Avian & Chiropteran Mortality at Wind Turbines Wolpert, R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Birds, Bats
    Estimating Wind-Turbine Caused Bird and Bat Fatality when Zero Carcasses are Observed Huso, M., Dalthorp, D., Dail, D., Madsen, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Do Habitat Characteristics Determine Mortality Risk for Bats at Wind Farms? Modelling Susceptible Species Activity Patterns and Anticipating Possible Mortality Events Ferreira, D., Freixo, C., Cabral, J., Santos, R., Santos, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Regional Analysis of Wind Turbine-Caused Bat Mortality Drake, D., Jennelle, C., Liu, J., Grodsky, S., Schumacher, S., Sponsler, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Investigation of the Effectiveness of Bat and Bird Detection of the DTBat and DTBird Systems at Calandawind Turbine - Final Report Hanagasioglu, M., Aschwanden, J., Bontadina, F., Nilsson, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Behavior of the Hawaiian Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) at Wind Turbines and its Distribution Across the North Ko'olau Mountains, O'ahu Gorresen, P., Cryan, P., Huso, M., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Johnson, J., Montoya-Aiona, K., Brinck, K., Bonaccorso, F. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Wind and Wildlife: Siting Issues and Challenges Walker, R., Swift, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind Terrestrial Mammals, Fish, Birds, Bats
    Wildlife and Renewable Energy: German Politics Cross Migratory Bats Voigt, C., Lehnert, L., Petersons, G., Adorf, F., Bach, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Design and Testing of an Integrated Wildlife-Wind Turbine Interactions Detection System Flowers, J. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Estimates and Correlates of Bird and Bat Mortality at Small Wind Turbine Sites Minderman, J., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Pearce-Higgins, J., Pendlebury, C., Park, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    How to Mitigate Impacts of Wind Farms on Bats? A Review of Potential Conservation Measures in the European Context Peste, F., Paula, A., Pinto da Silva, P., Bernardino, J., Pereira, P., Mascarenhas, M., Costa, H., Vieira, J., Bastos, C., Fonseca, C., Pereira, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
    Bat Activity in Intensively Farmed Landscapes with Wind Turbines and Offset Measures Millon, L., Julien, J., Julliard, R., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bat Evaluation Monitoring Studies at the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm Benton County, Indiana: August 4 - October 14, 2014 Good, R., Iskali, G., Adachi, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Review and guidance on use of “shutdown-on-demand” for wind turbines to conserve migrating soaring birds in the Rift Valley/Red Sea Flyway BirdLife International Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Fauna Collisions with Wind Turbines: Effects and Impacts, Individuals and Populations. What Are We Trying to Assess? Smales, I. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    First Report on Bat Mortalities on Wind Farms in Chile Escobar, L., Juarez, C., Medina-Vogel, G., Gonzalez, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Observations from the Use of Dogs to Undertake Carcass Searches at Wind Facilities in Australia Bennett, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    2014 Bat Survey Report: Wilton IV Wind Energy Center Burleigh County, North Dakota Wilton Wind IV Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    The Role of Islands in the Migration of Bats Across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario: Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus and Perimyotis subflavus Thorne, T. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Biodiversity & Wind Energy: A Bird's and Bat's Perspective Mascarenhas, M., Bernardino, J., Paula, A., Costa, H., Bastos, C., Cordeiro, A., Marques, A., Marqués, J., Mesquita, S., Paula, J., Pereira, M., Peste, F., Ramalho, R., Rodrigues, S., Santos, J., Veira, J., Fonseca, C. Book Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Incorporación de los murciélagos en la evaluación ambiental de parques eólicos y líneas de transmisión eléctrica en chile: ¿mito o realidad? Escobar, M., Vidal, N., De la Fuente, D., Abarca, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    First Year Post-Construction Monitoring of Bats and Birds at Wind Turbine Test Centre Østerild Therkildsen, O., Elmeros, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Species composition and mortality of bats at the Osorio Wind Farm, southern Brazil Barros, M., de Magalhaes, R., Rui, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Empirical Evidence for Factors Affecting Searcher Efficiency and Scavenging Rates at a Coastal, Terrestrial Wind-Power Facility Peters, K., Mizrahi, D., Allen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Blown in the Wind: Bats and Wind Farms in Brazil Bernard, E., Paese, A., Machado, R., Aguiar, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bird and Bat Conservation Strategy for Invenergy's Pleasant Ridge Wind Project Invenergy Canada Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Activity of Tree Bats at Anthropogenic Tall Structures: Implications for Mortality of Bats at Wind Turbines Jameson, J., Willis, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
    Warning Sounds and Color for Reducing Bird and Bat Mortality at Wind Turbines Khan, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Behavior of Bats at Wind Turbines Cryan, P., Gorresen, P., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Diehl, R., Huso, M., Hayman, D., Fricker, P., Bonaccorso, F., Johnson, D., Heist, K., Dalton, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement Bats
    Wind and Wildlife Fauna Collisions with Wind Turbines: Effects and Impacts, Individuals and Populations. What Are We Trying to Assess? Smales, I. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Massive Bat Migration Across the Alps: Implications for Wind Energy Development Bontadina, F., Beck, A., Dietrich, A., Dobner, M., Eicher, C., Frey-Ehrenbold, A., Krainer, K., Loecher, F., Maerki, K., Mattei-Roesli, M., Mixanig, H., Plank, M., Vorauer, A., Wegleitner, S., Widerin, K., Wieser, D., Wimmer, B., Reiter, G. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    The challenges and possible solutions of horizontal axis wind turbines as a clean energy solution for the future Ahmed, N., Cameron, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Bats, Birds
    Accounting for False-Positive Acoustic Detections of Bats Using Occupancy Models Clement, M., Rodhouse, T., Ormsbee, P., Szewczak, J., Nichols, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Optimizing Conservation Strategies for Mexican Free-Tailed Bats: A Population Viability and Ecosystem Services Approach Wiederholt, R., Lopez-Hoffman, L., Svancara, C., McCracken, G., Thogmartin, W., Diffendorfer, J., Mattson, B., Bagstad, K., Cryan, P., Russell, A., Semmens, D., Medellin, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions, Bats
    Origins and Migratory Patterns of Bats Killed by Wind Turbines in Southern Alberta: Evidence from Stable Isotopes Baerwald, E., Patterson, W., Barclay, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Wind Farm Facilities in Germany Kill Noctule Bats from Near and Far Lehnert, L., Kramer-Schadt, S., Schonborn, S., Lindecke, O., Niermann, I., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Historical Challenges of Wind Energy/Wildlife Interactions: How This May Affect Distributed Wind Sinclair, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds, Bats
    Interspecific effects of forest fragmentation on bats Segers, J., Broders, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
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