Serial development of wind farms along migration routes are an important consideration in determining the potential cumulative effect of these developments on populations, but the extent to which both offshore and onshore wind farms occur along migration routes has received relatively little attention. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust therefore has tracked migration routes for Whooper Swans migrating between Britain, Ireland and Iceland and for Bewick’s Swans migrating between western Europe and the Russian arctic, to inform the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for offshore wind farm development, being undertaken by the UK Government, by highlighting key areas where the construction of offshore wind farms may pose a risk to the birds. Further information on the project along with pdfs of the final report can be found below.

Satellite-Tracking of Bewick’s Swan Migration in Relation to Offshore and Onshore Wind Farm Sites: Final Report

The Migration of Whooper Swans in Relation to Offshore Wind Farms