Could Black Paint Protect Birds from Wind Turbines?

A simple way to reduce wind turbine bird deaths? Painting one blade may help in some places, engineers warn of knock-on effects

Wind turbines kill a lot of birds, particularly eagles and other raptors. The exact number is unknown, because many of the world’s wind farms don’t monitor bird deaths. One mitigation idea to reduce these numbers—and assuage a political argument against wind turbines—is gaining traction: Paint one turbine blade black. Ecologist Roel May spoke with IEEE Spectrum about his 11-year study to reduce raptor deaths, and his surprise at the lukewarm rea…

Could Black Paint Protect Birds from Wind Turbines?

Wind turbines kill a lot of birds, particularly eagles and other raptors. The exact number is unknown, because many of the world’s wind farms don’t monitor bird deaths. One mitigation idea to reduce these numbers—and assuage a political argument against wind turbines—is gaining traction: Paint one turbine blade black. Ecologist Roel May spoke with IEEE Spectrum about his 11-year study to reduce raptor deaths, and his surprise at the lukewarm rea…