Collisions with power-lines are the most commonly recorded cause of death for some bird species in the UK; it is of concern to DNOs because of the damage caused to conductors and the inconvenience to customers. Large birds such as geese and swans are particular susceptible because: (i) they tend to fly at power-line height on commuting between feeding areas and their night-time roost, (ii) their size and relatively poor manoeuvrability makes them more likely to hit or bridge the wires, and (iii) their early morning and evening flights are made in poor light conditions, when the conductors are more difficult to see. Bird deflectors fitted to the wires are known to be effective in reducing collision rates but identifying stretches of wires where the birds are most at risk is not always straightforward. This project is aimed at optimising the process for identifying where bird diverters should be fitted.

Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to provide guidelines for best practice in fitting bird flight diverters to overhead lines in areas close to wetlands, in terms of the alignment of OHL conductors likely to increase the risk of collisions by heavy birds such as swans and geese. This would serve to: