Abstract
Since 2003, when it was discovered that large numbers of bats were being killed at wind turbines in the eastern United States, our understanding of the impact of wind energy development on bats has increased and consistent patterns of fatality, including seasonality and species composition have become evident. Yet, many questions remain despite the wealth of data collected across numerous post-construction monitoring studies. We synthesized the recent literature to provide an overview of our current understanding of patterns of bat fatalities at wind energy facilities in the United States and Canada. Our understanding of the impact of wind energy development on bats continues to be hindered by inconsistencies among studies and lack of publicly available data. It will be difficult to fully address this complex issue and develop sustainable strategies to reduce the impact of wind turbines on bats and generate wind energy without standardized protocols for field methods, estimation of fatality, and greater cooperation among stakeholders.
Recommended Citation
Hein, Cris D. and Schirmacher, Michael R.
(2016)
"Impact of Wind Energy on Bats: a Summary of our Current Knowledge,"
Human–Wildlife Interactions: Vol. 10:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/x7ew-6349
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol10/iss1/4
