Post-fledging movements of white-tailed eagles: Conservation implications for wind-energy development

Area of Science:

• Wildlife ecology
• Conservation biology
• Renewable energy impacts

Background:

• Wind farm development poses risks to avian wildlife, particularly birds of prey.
• Understanding human-wildlife conflicts is crucial for sustainable wind energy expansion.
• White-tailed eagles are vulnerable to habitat changes and potential turbine collisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the movement patterns and habitat use of post-fledging white-tailed eagles in Finland.
• To determine the probability of fledgling eagles approaching hypothetical wind turbines at varying distances from nests.
• To inform wind energy development strategies to mitigate impacts on white-tailed eagles.

Main Methods:

• Satellite telemetry was used to track post-fledging white-tailed eagles.
• Movement data were analyzed to understand habitat utilization and availability.
• A spatial analysis examined the probability of eagle proximity to hypothetical turbines based on distance from the nest.

Main Results:

• White-tailed eagle fledglings showed a high probability of approaching turbines placed close to their nests.
• This probability significantly decreased as the distance to the nest increased.
• Coastal areas were identified as the preferred habitat for post-fledging eagles.

Conclusions:

• Strategic placement of wind turbines is essential to minimize impacts on white-tailed eagles.
• Avoiding development between active nests and coastlines is recommended.
• A 2-km buffer zone around nests is proposed as a measure to reduce potential conflicts.