Safeguarding Cranes Amid the New Energy Boom

Throughout the world, powerlines pose a threat to cranes, who may inadvertently collide with the lines while in flight or leaving night roosts. In this video, Highland Grassland Field Officer Bradley Gibbons surveys a power line in the Drakensberg with an Eskom employee, the leading supplier of energy in South Africa. Video by Ufulu Studios

One of 15 crane species, the Endangered Whooping Crane is a migratory bird and, depending on the flyway, can travel up to 2,500 miles between summering and wintering locations in North America. Throughout their entire range, Whooping Cranes rely on wetlands and uplands, such as grasslands and agricultural lands, and are known indicators of ecosystem health. They will use shallow wetlands as a safe habitat to roost in overnight and, during the day, will forage in uplands and wetlands within nine miles of their roosting site. However, in parts of the Whooping Cranes’ range, these habitats are at risk due to the impacts of growing demands for energy and the infrastructure required to meet those demands.

As the human population grows, the demand for energy, especially from renewable resources such as wind and solar, has drastically increased. This has accelerated the construction of wind turbines, solar farms, and power lines in the United States. When new energy infrastructure is placed in or near crane habitats, it can disrupt their movement patterns and reduce available resources.

Research indicates that Whooping Cranes will avoid areas within three miles of wind turbines, resulting in displacement from otherwise suitable habitat. While the impact of wind turbines is well-documented, the effects of rapidly expanding solar energy developments on the Whooping Crane habitat are largely unknown but anticipated to exacerbate habitat loss further.

In addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, Whooping Cranes are particularly vulnerable to collisions with power lines. Over 65 Whooping Cranes in North America have died following a collision with a power line since 1975.

As a leader in crane conservation, the International Crane Foundation is dedicated to supporting sustainable energy development that considers the needs of these iconic birds. By understanding the intersection of crane ecology and renewable energy expansion, we can work towards solutions that benefit wildlife and our clean energy goals.

The threats posed by new energy infrastructure are likely to increase as large portions of the Whooping Crane’s range have a high potential to generate energy from wind and solar resources, as evidenced by the maps below.

Existing Infrastructure and Land Availability Further Impact Risk

Solar and wind energy potential is not the only variable considered when determining where to build energy infrastructure. Other factors such as existing or potential infrastructure, land cost and availability, and the energy needs of local populations are also important. Energy infrastructure development occurs in areas where all or most of these conditions are met. In some instances, these additional factors can result in energy development occurring in regions that do not have the highest energy potential. For example, Indiana has mostly low to average energy potential for solar and wind, but there has been a great increase in industrial solar and wind farms because of existing energy infrastructure and large sections of flat landscapes that are available at competitive prices. The state also has an extensive network of high-energy transmission lines connecting these renewable energy sources to the grid. This rapid increase in development is concerning, as some of this energy infrastructure is being built near refuges that the eastern population of Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes rely on.

While energy developments pose significant risks to Whooping Cranes throughout their range, Indiana emerges as a critical area of concern.

Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area: A Case Study

Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in northwestern Indiana is a prime example of how an important crane habitat can be affected by, and remain at risk from, energy development. This crucial stopover site, which hosts over 30,000 migrating Sandhill Cranes and several Whooping Cranes annually, is increasingly surrounded by energy infrastructure, such as solar developments and powerlines, to transmit the generated energy. This area also has characteristics that make it attractive for further energy development, such as:

1. Existing wind and solar infrastructure that can be more easily expanded upon.
2. Proximity to existing transmission lines, which reduces the cost of connecting new energy projects to the grid.
3. Availability of relatively flat land that is suitable for energy development.

Solar and wind energy potential and existing energy infrastructure within core crane use areas at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area.

Further, large waterbirds, such as geese and swans, also use the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area and face the same risks posed to Whooping Cranes by new energy developments. Powerlines pose a collision risk to other waterbird species, and solar fields may be particularly risky as the panels reflect polarized light, which birds can interpret as water. This could result in them attempting to dive or land on the panels and harming themselves in the process. If the potential negative impacts of solar and wind energy structures are not properly or carefully considered, these new energy developments could significantly disrupt migration patterns, reduce available stopover habitat, and increase mortality risks for Whooping Cranes and other migratory birds.