Based on principles of bird vision, researchers propose that seabird deaths at offshore wind farms would be reduced by painting black and white stripes on blades
Life
28 February 2023
Illustration of the proposed wind turbine design to reduce seabird collisions Graham Martin and Alex Banks
The number of seabirds killed by colliding with wind turbines could be reduced by painting black and white stripes on the blades and poles, say researchers.
Graham Martin at the University of Birmingham, UK, and Alex Banks at Natural England, a public body that has a say in planning applications for offshore wind farms in England, wanted to devise a pattern that could be easily painted on to offshore turbines to reduce their impact on bird life.
Between 140,000 and …
