At a Glance:

Offshore wind rarely kills birds directly. Instead, most species avoid the turbines. This could be of concern if birds are displaced from feeding grounds thus making this is an active area of research. However, climate change has been identified by the National Audubon Society’s study Survival by Degrees as the biggest threat to birds. In fact, transitioning to renewable energy will have a net positive effect on bird populations according to Audubon and “As we learn more about seabird species, Audubon will continue to support wind energy that avoids, minimizes, and mitigates impacts on birds and the places they need.“ https://www.audubon.org/news/what-offshore-wind-energy-can-teach-us-about-seabirds

A Deeper Dive:

U.S. researchers are now in a unique position to regularly monitor and assess how offshore wind may affect North American bird populations using the best science possible. Dr. Charles Clarkson, Director of Avian Research at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island reminds us of the many birds killed by offshore oil and gas accidents and concluded, “We should all place our faith in the thousands of passionate and dedicated scientists and conservationists determined to make wind power as safe as possible. We need to trust the science, our future depends on it.”

Dr. Scott McWilliams, Professor of Natural Resources Science at  the University of Rhode Island, studied potential impacts of the Block Island Wind Farm by learning how birds interact with wind turbines. In this interview he explains that direct mortality of any kind due to offshore wind turbines is negligible. This is especially true for large soaring birds that easily avoid the rotors. Some species avoid the area with wind turbines which could displace then from important feeding grounds. Studies are continuing to determine if displacement has a significant impact at the population level. .

Many terrestrial birds do migrate along the coast, usually avoiding open water, but if they do venture offshore, radar studies based on the Block Island turbines show that they migrate at heights well above the offshore wind facilities (OCEAN SAMP Volume 2 Chapter 11). For birds like the endangered piping plover, that live along the shore, it is human impacts on coastal beaches where they nest that are most harmful. Moreover, the process of securing permits for the offshore wind projects requires evaluation for any evidence of violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 

The big picture to keep in mind is that 2/3 of North American birds are at increasing risk of extinction from global temperature rise. Efforts to decrease global warming will have a net positive effect on birds by reducing the impacts of climate change.