Effects of wind on seabird flight and distribution: Implications for assessing impact of offshore wind farms

Offshore wind farms have helped reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas production, but these benefits must be offset against any potential negative impacts on biodiversity.

Seabirds are particularly at risk from offshore wind farms. These birds perform long flights between terrestrial colonies and marine foraging grounds, where collisions and displacement may have deleterious effects. However, changing wind due to climate change may alter these impacts because wind shapes flight speeds, flight costs and bird distribution. However, prevailing and future wind conditions are not currently considered when assessing wind farm impacts.

In conjunction with CASE partner MacArthur Green, this studentship will provide the first assessment of the differential effects of wind on the behaviour of a range of different seabird species tracked during foraging movements, and place this in the context of assessing potential collision and displacement risks of offshore wind farms.