Résumé
Wind energy can produce energy while limiting carbon emissions, but it has many negative impacts on biodiversity. Raptors, relying on updrafts to soar and reduce their energy expenditure, are among the most vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines. In this study, we investigated the factors underlying the use of a wind energy facility in Southern France by Falco naumanni (Lesser kestrels), where they are the most frequent victims of collisions. As F. naumanni relies on wind updrafts to practice hovering flight when looking for prey, we hypothesized that these birds would be distributed according to the distribution of orographic updrafts. Using telemetry tracking data collected on 26 adults F. naumanni, between 2017 and 2021, we found that their presence in the wind energy facility increased with orographic updrafts velocity but decreased as the breeding season progressed. Using resource selection models, we predicted the relative probability of selection of habitat by the kestrels, within the facility, according to environmental conditions. Based on these predictions, we identified turbines, where kestrel's presence was more likely to increase the risk of collision, and proposed a selective curtailment of these turbines. This mitigation measure could represent a step toward a win-win situation in which a selective curtailment allows stakeholders to continue producing renewable energy while reducing the collision risk of vulnerable bird populations.
center dot Falco naumanni (Lesser kestrels) suffer the highest collision rate among raptors in a wind energy facility in Southern France.center dot Using habitat selection models, we predicted areas within the wind energy facility most likely to be selected by birds according to wind conditions.center dot Falco naumanni probability of presence in the wind energy facility increased when the uplift generated by slopes became stronger but decreased over the breeding season.center dot Depending on wind direction and speed, specific turbines that represented a high risk to F. naumanni were identified, suggesting selective shutdown as a mitigation strategy.center dot Stakeholders should consider adapting the curtailment strategy to species habitat selection and environmental conditions to balance renewable energy production with the protection of vulnerable bird populations.
L'& eacute;nergie & eacute;olienne est un moyen de produire de l'& eacute;nergie tout en limitant les & eacute;missions de CO2, mais elle a de nombreux impacts n & eacute;gatifs sur la biodiversit & eacute;. Les rapaces, qui d & eacute;pendent des courants ascendants pour s'& eacute;lever et r & eacute;duire leur d & eacute;pense & eacute;nerg & eacute;tique, comptent parmi les plus vuln & eacute;rables aux collisions avec les & eacute;oliennes. Dans cette & eacute;tude, nous avons examin & eacute; les facteurs qui sous-tendent l'utilisation d'une centrale & eacute;olienne dans le sud de la France par les Falco naumanni (faucons cr & eacute;cerellettes), qui sont les victimes les plus fr & eacute;quentes des collisions. Comme les F. naumanni utilisent les courants orographiques pour pratiquer le vol stationnaire & agrave; la recherche de proies, nous avons & eacute;mis l'hypoth & egrave;se que ces oiseaux se r & eacute;partiraient en fonction de la distribution des courants ascendants orographiques. En utilisant les donn & eacute;es de suivi t & eacute;l & eacute;m & eacute;trique recueillies sur 26 F. naumanni adultes, entre 2017 et 2021, nous avons constat & eacute; que leur pr & eacute;sence dans la centrale & eacute;olienne augmentait avec la force des courants ascendants orographiques, mais diminuait au fur et & agrave; mesure que la saison de reproduction progressait. En utilisant des mod & egrave;les de s & eacute;lection des ressources, nous avons pr & eacute;dit la probabilit & eacute; relative de s & eacute;lection de l'habitat par les F. naumanni dans la centrale & eacute;olienne, en fonction des conditions environnementales. Sur la base de ces pr & eacute;dictions, nous avons identifi & eacute; des turbines o & ugrave; la pr & eacute;sence de faucons & eacute;tait plus probable, augmentant leur risque de collision, et nous avons propos & eacute; un bridage s & eacute;lectif de ces turbines. Cette mesure pourrait constituer une & eacute;tape vers une situation gagnant-gagnant dans laquelle un bridage s & eacute;lectif permet aux parties prenantes de continuer & agrave; produire de l'& eacute;nergie renouvelable tout en r & eacute;duisant le risque de collision avec les populations d'oiseaux vuln & eacute;rables.