Wind Turbines & Purple Martins

[Bruce]

Last year out of 13 pairs that nested I had 3 nests with 6 eggs each that did not hatch and were abandoned. I first suspected that the eggs were not fertile, but I don't think that is likely as these were adult (ASY) birds and I would not expect all of them to be infertile. The colony is in a coastal residential area with very few large trees. We do have some hawks, falcons and owls during migration and in the winter but rarely in the summer nesting season. I have excluder gourds and I do not think an owl or hawk could reach in successfully, but I could be wrong. There is a medium sized wind turbine that was recently installed in a state park less than half a mile away. I find it hard to believe that martins wouldn't avoid a windmill, but I have seen videos of hawks, eagles and vultures being struck by the blades. Apparently they are focused on prey on the ground when they are hit. Has anyone had any experience with martins near windmills?

[Louise Chambers]

No experience with martins and wind turbines, no - but the problem is that the blades are moving so fast the birds cannot see them. We toured a wind farm site nearby and were told the ends of the blades are going 160 mph. A friend saw a white pelican get hit by a blade - a team went in to recover the body for study and they could not find it, either taken by predators or just totally destroyed?

Wind turbines are certainly a hazard when placed in migratory flyways, but what about landlords who have a turbine going up near their colony? Not known yet.

Bad weather is probably the number one cause of martin deaths during the nesting season - was there a period of cold, wet, or very windy weather preceding discovery of the unhatched eggs? Our adult nesters lost most of their eggs laid during April last spring due to bad weather, and most of them laid new clutches that hatched and fledged.

[Archer]

Can't help you with the turbine question, I might suggest though that once you determine the eggs have been abandoned, why not crack them open to see if there was any development? If they are clear inside then you know they were infertile.

[Dave Duit]

I hope my first hand experience of having a large colony 1/2 mile from two enormous wind turbine, four medium sized and 2 small sized will hopefully help in this topic. The huge wind turbines have been up two years and I have scanned the ground under these turbines with a 100 meter diameter looking for any indication of martins being hit by the blades. I have never come across a dead martin by these turbines to date. I will continue to monitor these areas for dead martins or other birds. I'm praying that the martins areal abilities will be just enough to side step the blades. In my viewing of martin as they feed during the day are to avoid the turbines. They may sense that they are dangerous and simply stay clear of the area around the turbines. I will definitely report any martin deaths caused by turbines if it ever occurs in the future.

[ajh]

Our 9 year old Ohio Northern University colony of 37 pairs has slowly grown over the years...even when ONU erected three 400KW wind turbines within 1/2 mile of the colony about 4 years ago. We've had 100% occupancy the last 3 seasons (2 deluxe 18's and one gourd on a shepherd's hook that the martins stole from the tree swallows). The martins show no ill effects of the wind turbines whatsoever. In fact, since the large turbine site is no longer tilled/farmed, there are many more bird species attracted to the tall grass. I don't think the wind turbines are a problem at all for your martins.

[ajh]

ONU martins with wind turbine in background.

[Louise Chambers]

That is good news, Arnie. I think the big wind farms in migratory flyways are certainly the biggest risk to all our birds, not just martins. If you have a photo that won't post, you can email to me and I'll add it for you (louise @ purplemartin.org)