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Raptors (Hen Harriers and Golden Eagles)

ScottishPower Renewables is leading pioneering research into the interaction between birds of prey and our windfarms in Argyll.

Studies into Golden Eagles have been ongoing for almost 10 years at Beinn an Tuirc Windfarm in Kintyre while research at Cruach Mhor in Cowal is looking at how Hen Harriers have adjusted to their new neighbours. The results are helping us forge a best practice approach to windfarm development and conservation management.

The Kintyre project has shown that habitat management by ScottishPower Renewables is enabling eagles to coexist successfully with the 46 turbine windfarm at Beinn an Tuirc.

The presence of a pair of eagles was identified during the environmental assessment for the 30 MW site, resulting in the turbines being sited outwith the birds' core territory. Meanwhile 1,215 hectares of upland moor - including 450 hectares cleared of commercial forestry - are being managed to benefit the eagles' main prey species, Red Grouse. The aim is to reduce the risk of collision by encouraging the eagles to hunt at the mitigation area and away from the turbines.

Consultant ornithologist Mike Madders, of Natural Research (Projects), has been engaged by ScottishPower Renewables to investigate the impact of the new habitat areas on the eagles. His studies, that began in 1997 prior to the windfarm's construction and have so far, included more than 1,000 hours' of observation, examined two key issues - any displacement of eagles caused by the turbines and the risk of collision.

He reported: "There has been a substantial shift by the eagles into the mitigation area. They may simply be avoiding the windfarm, however the clearance of forestry has enabled the birds to exploit previously unsuitable habitat. The mitigation appears to have been successful. If you take a windfarm of this scale and provide a habitat area that's suitable, it appears to reduce the likelihood there could be a collision involving a turbine.
"We had just one incident where an eagle flew over the windfarm and it appears to have been an anomaly - an immature bird rather than one of the territorial pair."

Meanwhile, studies are continuing at Cruach Mhor, where 577 hectares of blanket bog and grassland are being managed following the clearance of 386 hectares of Conifers.

A pair nested on the site during construction in 2003 and since then the hen harriers have returned to breed each year – fledging nine chicks successfully to date. This provides an excellent opportunity to research the interaction of harriers with windfarm sites which should allow best practice measures to be developed for future developments. Research is currently ongoing at Cruach Mhor with the results due to be reported once adequate data collection has been completed.