Eastern phoebe image by Manjithkaini via Wikimedia Commons
The western Lake Erie basin is an important stopover site for migrating songbirds… and that means development in the region can impact our feathered friends.
Shieldcastle: “It’s a constant vigilance and concern. For birds, not only is the habitat a concern, but you know structures.”
That’s Mark Shieldcastle of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Ohio. He says, for example, spinning wind turbines can be a hazard to birds in flight. So although wind energy helps prevent global warming…
Shieldcastle: “There are a lot of concerns. Siting is important, you know, putting turbines in a major migration area such as the western basin is maybe not the wisest thing to do.”
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about migratory birds in the Western Lake Erie Basin, from the Nature Conservancy.
- Read more about wind energy and birds, from the American Bird Conservancy.
The Fine Print:
- This segment was produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.
