[copie] Vade retro

The production of low-carbon energy from wind or photovoltaic sources is accompanied by the increasing density of electricity transmission and distribution networks. The infrastructures associated with these networks contribute to the congestion of the airspace used by flying animals and represent one of the biggest sources of mortality for birds worldwide. The main aim of the VADE RETRO project is twofold: firstly, to characterise the flight behaviour of birds in the vicinity of electricity transmission networks (high or very high voltage power lines) and, secondly, to assess the effectiveness of avifauna beacons deployed on cables to increase their visibility to birds and thus reduce the risk of collision. The originality and relevance of this project lie in the precision of the data used to characterise bird flight and the quality of the analytical approach. VADE RETRO will be based on high-frequency GPS tracking data (one GPS location per second) collected on golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos, which will make it possible to quantify in great detail any cable avoidance behaviour and to determine its spatial scale. The data comes from 10 eagle territories, all located along a very high voltage line in the Haute Durance region, with a total of 40 birds equipped (10 adults and 30 young). Above all, this tracking data was collected at the same time as bird beacons were installed on a section of the cable and the cables were deployed below ground, so that we have a very rare case of a Before/After Control Impact (BACI) protocol, which is necessary for a rigorous demonstration of the effectiveness of such devices. As part of VADE RETRO, we are also proposing to set up and promote a network of partners to undertake similar studies on other species deemed vulnerable, and in a variety of contexts (e.g. including transport cables in mountain regions).

The aim of this network will be to obtain, in the medium term, a set of data based on the methodology proposed by VADE RETRO and thus to enable a large-scale study to produce recommendations for the deployment of bird flight diverters, based on strong scientific evidence, and capable of significantly reducing bird mortality.