By Pia Purra
Bird collisions are one of the best-known environmental hazards of wind power. Now, researchers have developed a new approach that utilizes warning signals found in nature to help protect birds.
“The starting point for this idea was that in nature, many animals use colors to warn predators of danger. Often, the tendency to avoid certain color combinations is genetic – colors are avoided even if there is no previous experience with them,” said Johanna Mappes, co-author of the study and professor at the University of Helsinki.
Examples include those of adders, coral snakes, poison dart frogs, and butterflies.
The study found that warning colors – yellow, red, and black – combined with the rotating motion of the blades were clearly more frightening to birds than other patterns already used for wind turbines, such as “a single black blade” and “red stripes”.
“White blades, which are the most frequently used pattern around the world, turned out to be the worst option for birds. This suggests that a relatively simple visual change could reduce bird mortality in connection with wind power,” said Mappes.
“By using a touchscreen especially designed for birds, we can use games to explore their behavior and ecology by simulating real-world scenarios, without putting the birds at risk,” said study co-author George Hancock, a professor at the University of Exeter.
“We’ve known for a long time that birds change how they respond to objects with warning colors, but to see such a large effect was remarkable,” Hancock said.
The key insight of the study is a shift in perspective: rather than trying to detect birds with technology, the aim is to influence their behavior.
“What is particularly new is that the solution is based on behavior shaped by evolution and warning signals optimized by nature,” Mappes said.
These means will not completely eliminate bird deaths, but the study shows that a relatively simple and potentially inexpensive solution can influence bird behavior.
“If the results are repeated in practical conditions in different countries and with different bird species, it could be a significant change for the entire wind power industry,” Mappes said.
The construction of wind power is increasing worldwide, and at the same time, the need for solutions that reconcile renewable energy and the protection of wild animals is growing. This study provides a concrete example of how taking inspiration from nature can help to protect nature while also combating climate change.
“Painting turbines presents just one example in a suite of strategies that can be used to help birds, such as positioning turbines away from key migration routes or using computer-operated cameras to instruct turbines to turn off when a bird approaches,” Hancock said.
“In the longer term, our work could lead to new standards in wind turbine design. In the future, blades could be designed to be not only aerodynamically efficient but also more easily visible or frightening to birds. The same thinking could also be applied to, for example, power lines, windows, and other structures that birds encounter.”
A video of this research, made by George Hancock: https://youtube.com/shorts/Rg41tHSF5YU