The Effects of Noise on Wildlife
Meghan C. Sadlowski, Division of Migratory Bird Management, US Fish & Wildlife Service|Mar 1, 2011
This research, prepared by Meghan C. Sadlowski, Division of Migratory Bird Management, US Fish & Wildlife Service explores how wind turbine noise may be impacting wildlife and calls for more research on the issue. An excerpt is provided below. The full paper can be accessed by clicking at the links at the bottom of this page.
This research, prepared by Meghan C. Sadlowski, Division of Migratory Bird Management, US Fish & Wildlife Service explores how wind turbine noise may be impacting wildlife and calls for more research on the issue. An excerpt is provided below. The full paper can be accessed by clicking at the links at the bottom of this page.
Noise standards for wind turbines developed by countries such as Sweden and New Zealand and some specific site level standards implemented in the U.S. focus primarily on sleep disturbance and annoyance to humans. However noise standards do not generally exist for wildlife, except in a few instances where federally listed species may be impacted. Findings from recent research clearly indicate the need to better address noise-‐wildlife issues. As such, noise impacts to wildlife should clearly be included as a factor in wind turbine siting, construction and operation.
Some of the key issues include:
1) how wind facilities affect background noise levels;
2) how and what fragmentation, including acoustical fragmentation, occurs especially to species sensitive to habitat fragmentation;
3) comparison of turbine noise levels at lower valley sites - where it may be quieter - to turbines placed on ridge lines above rolling terrain where significant topographic sound shadowing can occur having the potential to significantly elevate sound levels above ambient conditions; and
4) correction and accounting of a 15 decibel (dB) underestimate from daytime wind turbine noise readings used to estimate nighttime turbine noise levels (e.g. van den Berg 2004, J. Barber Colorado State Univ. and National Park Service pers. comm., K. Fristrap National Park Service pers. comm.).
