Wind Turbine Blades Could Be Painted Black to Save Seabirds

Thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money could be spent repainting wind turbine blades black in an attempt to prevent seabirds from flying into them. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has proposed a "multi-year programme of work to gather evidence to test whether turbine blade painting is achievable in protecting vulnerable sea birds."

The testing will consist of a laboratory trial on the efficacy of various different blade patterns under controlled conditions, and a field trial that will determine if they are effective in real life. Birds on the UK red list – those classed as "vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered" – include puffins, Arctic terns, kittiwakes and great and Arctic Skuas.

Painting just one blade of a turbine black could reduce bird collisions at wind farms by up to 70%, according to research published in Ecology and Evolution. Bird strikes have long been considered as a major concern for those opposed to onshore wind. The RSPB acknowledged the paint findings, but stressed that wind farms still should not be built in spots where wildlife might suffer as a result.

"The expectation is that this reduces motion smear, making the blades more visible to birds."

The study recorded a 70% reduction in bird deaths around turbines with painted blades, compared to those without. However, Dr May cautioned that further experiments across various sites are required to confirm the results, because effectiveness may vary by location and species. Defra declined to comment.