UK researchers have discovered another environmental issue to do with wind farms. Already, wind farms have been criticised for harming the local environment in several ways, and researchers have discovered that wind farms may be acting as scarecrows, scaring birds away from the areas.

Scientists have discovered that birds such as buzzards, golden plovers and curlews are all avoiding wind farm areas. It is believed that the birds are avoiding the area because the wind turbines are acting like big scarecrows.

The impact is currently quite small as there are only a handful of wind farms in the UK however because there is evidence that it is affecting a range of bird species, bird lovers are concerned.

12 bird species populations were looked at in a dozen wind farms around Scotland and northern England. These populations were compared against a similar number of control sites with no wind turbines in the area. Upland areas were chosen because they are places where winds tend to be strongest and are therefore popular with wind farm developers, and these areas also tend to be popular with the UK’s most vulnerable species of bird.

The researchers discovered that seven species of birds tended to stop nesting within half a mile of wind turbines, meaning up to 2 square miles of land are affected by a single wind turbine. A further two species showed signs of avoidance. Given that 12 species were monitored, the research shows that a large number of birds were avoiding wind turbine areas.

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