Mitigation of bird collisions with transmission lines: Final report

Technical Report · Fri Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6675370

Beaulaurier, D L

In this study removal of overhead groundwires was evaluated as a technique for mitigating bird collisions with transmission lines. Groundwires were removed by BPA from a 500 kV double circuit line at Bybee Lake in Portland, Oregon. Earlier studies at these sites had documented small but measurable collision rates (i.e., No. collisions/No. flights) attributed primarily to collisions with groundwires. Observations of bird flights and searches for dead birds in the vicinity of the lines constituted the primary methods of data collection during pre- and post-removal studies. Field work was conducted from October 1980 through March 1981. A total of seven dead birds and eight feather spots were found after groundwire removal. Species found were green-winged teal, pintail, greater scaup, American wigeon, glaucous-winged gull, starling, red-winged blackbird and song sparrow. No collisions with transmission lines were observed. During pre-removal studies at these two sites, a total of 53 dead birds and 22 feather spots were found over two years of study. It was necessary to document flight intensity (No. flights/day) during pre- and post-removal studies, in order to determine if the number of dead birds found changed because of groundwire removal or simply because of changes in flight intensity. 41 refs., 18 figs., 22 tabs.

• Research Organization: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Boulder, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC82-77BP02010
• OSTI ID: 6675370
• Report Number(s): DOE/BP/02010-T1; ON: DE89003864
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
BIRDS
MORTALITY
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
COLLISIONS
ELECTRIC GROUNDS
MITIGATION
OREGON
PROGRESS REPORT
REMOVAL
WASHINGTON
ANIMALS
DOCUMENT TYPES
FEDERAL REGION X
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
130600* - Hydro Energy- Environmental Aspects