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
    Survey of Bat Mortalities at a Wind-Energy Facility in North Dakota Bicknell, L., Gilliam, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Advances in Sex Determination in Bats and its Utility in Wind-Wildlife Studies Korstian, J., Hale, A., Bennett, V., Williams, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bats, Bugs, and Wind Turbines - Is There a Connection? Cochran, C. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Attraction Bats
    Thresholds for Bats Killed by Wind Turbines Arnett, E., Barclay, R., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2013 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
    Effectiveness of an Operational Mitigation Experiment to Reduce Bat Fatalities at the Pinnacle Wind Farm, Mineral County, West Virginia, 2012 Hein, C., Prichard, A., Mabee, T., Schirmacher, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
    Avian and Bat Post-construction Monitoring at the Pinnacle Wind Farm, Mineral County, West Virginia, 2012 Hein, C., Prichard, A., Mabee, T., Schirmacher, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Bat Fatality at a Wind Energy Facility in the Western Cape, South Africa Aronson, J., Thomas, A., Jordaan, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
    Effectiveness of Search Dogs Compared with Human Observers in Locating Bat Carcasses at Wind-Turbine Sites: A Blinded Randomized Trial Mathews, F., Swindells, M., Goodhead, R., August, T., Hardman, P., Linton, D., Hosken, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Hatchet Ridge Wind Farm Post-Construction Mortality Monitoring Year Two Annual Report Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Avian and Bat Assessment at the Lewes Wind Turbine University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean and Environment Buler, J., Horton, K., Shriver, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    A Synthesis of Operational Mitigation Studies to Reduce Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities in North America Arnett, E., Johnson, G., Erickson, W., Hein, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Project-Specific Avian and Bat Protection Plan for the Tule Reduced Ridgeline Wind Project Tule Wind Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Estimating Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms: A Practical Overview of Estimators, their Assumptions and Limitations Bernardino, J., Bispo, R., Costa, H., Mascarenhas, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Birds, Bats
    Impacts of Wind Energy Developments on Wildlife: A Southern Hemisphere Perspective Parsons, S., Battley, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Birds, Bats
    Bat fatalities at different wind facilities in Northwest Germany Bach, P., Bach, L., Ekschmitt, K., Frey, K., Gerhardt, U. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bats and wind power -investigations required for risk assessment in Denmark and Sweden Ahlén, I., Baagøe, H. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Planner's Dilemma - How to handle Birds and Bats in the Planning Process of Wind Farms Reichenbach, M. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Calculation of Wind Farm Production Losses via MERRA Data in Consequence of Bat Based Temporary Wind Turbine Shut Downs Raabe, J., Schorer, T., Junge, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Integrating applied ecology and planning policy: the case of micro-turbines and wildlife conservation Park, K., Turner, A., Minderman, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
    Improving Methods for Estimating Fatality of Birds and Bats at Wind Energy Facilities Warren-Hicks, W., Newman, J., Wolpert, R., Karas, B., Tran, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
    Chirotech, Six years of research (2006 – 2012) Rico, P., Lagrange, H., Ughetto, A., Melki, F., Kerbiriou, C. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Bat Evaluation Monitoring Studies at the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm Benton County, Indiana Good, R., Sonnenberg, M., Simon, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Pre-Construction Impact Assessment of Wind Development on Bats: Grande Prairie Wind Project, Holt County, Nebraska Midwest Wind Energy, LLC. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    2012 Post-Construction Monitoring Study Criterion Wind Project Garrett County, Maryland Young, D., Nations, C., Lout, M., Bay, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance Birds, Bats
    Bats Killed in Large Numbers at United States Wind Energy Facilities Hayes, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Using Species Distribution Modelling to Predict Bat Fatality Risk at Wind Farms Santos, H., Rodrigues, L., Jones, G., Rebelo, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
    Proceedings of the Wind-Wildlife Research Meeting IX PNWWRM IX Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
    Noctule Bats and Wind Turbines Burrows, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Characterising the Impacts of Emerging Energy Development on Wildlife, with an Eye Towards Mitigation Northrup, J., Wittemyer, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Bats
    Bird and Bat Responses to Wind Energy Development in Iowa Gillespie, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Birds, Bats
    A Quantitative Method to Analyze the Quality of EIA Information in Wind Energy Development and Avian/Bat Assessments Chang, T., Nielsen, E., Auberle, W., Solop, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Birds, Bats
    Evaluating the Effectiveness of Three Acoustic Monitoring Techniques for Landscape Level Bat Population Monitoring Whitby, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    The avian and wildlife costs of fossil fuels and nuclear power Sovacool, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision Birds, Bats
    Assessment of bat and avian mortality at a pilot wind turbine at Coega, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa Doty, A., Martin, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
    Bird and Bat Collision Risks & Wind Energy Facilities Willmott, J., Allison Costello, E., Gordon, C., Forcey, G., Casto, S., Beaulac, G., Pilla, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
    Factors Influencing Bat Activity and Mortality at a Wind Farm in the Mediterranean Region Amorim, F., Rebelo, H., Rodrigues, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
    Regional Analysis of Wind Turbine-caused Bat and Bird Fatality: Final Report Drake, D., Schumacher, S., Sponsler, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
    Fly-and-Forage Strategy in the Bat Pipistrellus nathusii During Autumn Migration Suba, J., Petersons, G., Rydell, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
    Bat Fatalities at Wind Farms in North-Eastern Greece Georgiakakis, P., Kret, E., Carcamo, B., Doutau, D., Kafkaletou-Diez, A., Vasilakis, D., Papadatou, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Attraction Bats
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