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Offshore wind farm prospects and bird migration : Can a protected species be considered adequately?

Dierschke, Volker ; Haecker, Karena ; Lötberg, Ulrik ; Åkesson, Susanne LU orcid ; Garthe, Stefan ; Lerma, Miriam and Schwemmer, Philipp (2026) In Global Ecology and Conservation 69.
Abstract

Offshore wind farms (OWFs) pose a potential threat to migratory birds, either as a barrier or as a result of lethal collisions. We aimed to demonstrate the temporal and spatial frames for potential mitigation measures for a rare and protected species. We analysed 74 autumn migration tracks for 65 GPS-tagged Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) through an area with operating and planned OWFs. On their way to their West African wintering grounds, Caspian terns breeding in Sweden crossed the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Germany in a narrow corridor, from mid-July to the end of August, during the day and at night, with crossings taking 1.5–3.5 h. Most of the tracks passed within > 10 km of existing OWFs, but 19% of birds passed within... (More)

Offshore wind farms (OWFs) pose a potential threat to migratory birds, either as a barrier or as a result of lethal collisions. We aimed to demonstrate the temporal and spatial frames for potential mitigation measures for a rare and protected species. We analysed 74 autumn migration tracks for 65 GPS-tagged Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) through an area with operating and planned OWFs. On their way to their West African wintering grounds, Caspian terns breeding in Sweden crossed the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Germany in a narrow corridor, from mid-July to the end of August, during the day and at night, with crossings taking 1.5–3.5 h. Most of the tracks passed within > 10 km of existing OWFs, but 19% of birds passed within < 1 km or even crossed OWFs. However, implementation of the current planning scenario means that 77% of the tracks would cross OWFs, and > 9% of the core kernel home range (25% kernel) would overlap with OWF sites. This future scenario would therefore pose a major obstacle for migrating Caspian terns. A mitigation concept tailored to this regionally near-threatened species would need to consider the relatively large migration window of Caspian terns, presenting an economic challenge. However, the migration corridor remains consistent from year to year, allowing affected sea areas to be considered. A harmonized marine spatial planning strategy across national borders will be the best means of minimising the adverse ecological effects of OWFs.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Baltic Sea, Bird migration corridors, Caspian tern Hydroprogne caspia, Marine spatial planning, Offshore wind farms, Phenology
in
Global Ecology and Conservation
volume
69
article number
e04298
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105042406726
ISSN
2351-9894
DOI
10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04298
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b1ead3e9-42cc-46a9-b0dd-1fb5500c2b6f
date added to LUP
2026-06-30 13:32:04
date last changed
2026-06-30 13:32:21
@article{b1ead3e9-42cc-46a9-b0dd-1fb5500c2b6f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Offshore wind farms (OWFs) pose a potential threat to migratory birds, either as a barrier or as a result of lethal collisions. We aimed to demonstrate the temporal and spatial frames for potential mitigation measures for a rare and protected species. We analysed 74 autumn migration tracks for 65 GPS-tagged Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) through an area with operating and planned OWFs. On their way to their West African wintering grounds, Caspian terns breeding in Sweden crossed the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Germany in a narrow corridor, from mid-July to the end of August, during the day and at night, with crossings taking 1.5–3.5 h. Most of the tracks passed within &gt; 10 km of existing OWFs, but 19% of birds passed within &lt; 1 km or even crossed OWFs. However, implementation of the current planning scenario means that 77% of the tracks would cross OWFs, and &gt; 9% of the core kernel home range (25% kernel) would overlap with OWF sites. This future scenario would therefore pose a major obstacle for migrating Caspian terns. A mitigation concept tailored to this regionally near-threatened species would need to consider the relatively large migration window of Caspian terns, presenting an economic challenge. However, the migration corridor remains consistent from year to year, allowing affected sea areas to be considered. A harmonized marine spatial planning strategy across national borders will be the best means of minimising the adverse ecological effects of OWFs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dierschke, Volker and Haecker, Karena and Lötberg, Ulrik and Åkesson, Susanne and Garthe, Stefan and Lerma, Miriam and Schwemmer, Philipp}},
  issn         = {{2351-9894}},
  keywords     = {{Baltic Sea; Bird migration corridors; Caspian tern Hydroprogne caspia; Marine spatial planning; Offshore wind farms; Phenology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Global Ecology and Conservation}},
  title        = {{Offshore wind farm prospects and bird migration : Can a protected species be considered adequately?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04298}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04298}},
  volume       = {{69}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}