Effects on the avifauna
Avitec Research GbR: Dipl.-Geogr. Reinhold Hill
The aim of the bird behavior study was to determine whether the overhead line has a negative impact on the behavior of the affected migratory birds or their nesting behavior in the surrounding area.
Investigation focus
Migratory birds travel long distances across countries and oceans to reach their breeding and wintering grounds. In the process, some birds also cross the area of the overhead line test track or rest in the surrounding area. There are also numerous nesting sites along and around the highway. The aim of the bird behavior study was to determine whether the overhead line could have a negative impact on the avifauna.
The following key questions were investigated as part of the sub-project:
- How often do birds fly over the overhead line at low altitude?
- Do birds collide with the overhead line or the poles?
- Is there a risk to birds resting on the overhead line from the electrical operation of the facility or from the pantographs of the catenary trucks?
Results
During the study period, two spring migration periods, two breeding periods and two fall migration periods were observed. A total of four thermal imaging cameras recorded the behavior of the birds on two sections of the overhead line. This allowed all bird movements to be recorded regardless of the light conditions. In 2020, several thousand thermal images of bird movements in the vicinity of the overhead lines were recorded between April and November. No negative effects on birds could be deduced from the data.
Below are some sample images of thermal images aggregated over one minute each.
