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IMAGE: A pair of whooping cranes walking along the edge of a wetland in central Kansas view more
Credit: Travis Wooten/USGS
As gatherings to observe whooping cranes join the ranks of online-only events this year, a new study offers insight into how the endangered bird is faring on a landscape increasingly dotted with wind turbines. The paper, published this week in
Ecological Applications, reports that whooping cranes migrating through the U.S. Great Plains avoid rest stop sites that are within 5 km of wind-energy infrastructure.
Avoidance of wind turbines can decrease collision mortality for birds, but can also make it more difficult and time-consuming for migrating flocks to find safe and suitable rest and refueling locations. The study s insights into migratory behavior could improve future siting decisions as wind energy infrastructure continues to expand.