This wasn’t the first time a large bird of prey had ended up like this. The reason for the Animal Party was two proposals to make long-term technologies mandatory. With smart cameras and black blades, bird mortality can drop dramatically.
windmills collision
Every now and then a white-tailed eagle comes into contact with a windmill. It doesn’t seem to be missed, but the windmills of the white-tailed eagle are hard to see. “White-tailed eagles can’t properly assess the danger of a blade. When they’re flying, they also basically look down, because that’s where the food is.”
In the WZN study, three of the 15 white-tailed eagles died abnormally within three years. Three sea eagles don’t look great, but in this study they are twenty percent and that’s in a short time.
intervention
Frank Wasenberg of the Animal Party thinks this has to end. Thursday asked the ministry to intervene in two ways.
First, at least one blade of all windmills must be painted black. Second, all wind farms want to use a bird detection system. The question is whether the white-tailed eagle is better protected in this way.
Compulsory cameras
Wassenberg wants all wind farms in the Netherlands to use this. “Wind farms are badly needed for the transmission of energy, but it should not be at the expense of nature. It is not only about bald eagles, but also bats and small birds. It costs something, but it is also worth preserving nature. It is not a luxury, it is necessity.”
According to Dirk van Straalen of Werkgroep Zeearend Nederland, it is pointless and unnecessary to make detection systems mandatory everywhere. “It should be mandatory for all wind farms where there is a risk to bald eagles and other special species.”
Detection system not required
“So not only in the Natura 2000 areas, but also in the lower region,” he continues. “The white-tailed eagle flies there too of course. In our research we see a lot of flight action within 5 kilometers around the nests. Let this detection system become mandatory in those areas.”
Zeewold Wind Farm, where the fatal collision with the white-tailed eagle occurred, says it is now studying the possibilities for action. The park is positive about this, but wants to take a look at the necessary and responsible steps now.
