Wind Turbines Kill 600,000 Birds

By Douglas McIntyre  •  August 14, 2025
Pixabay Pexels

Some people say it is a small price to pay for access to one of the world’s most important sources of renewable energy. In the U.S., wind turbines kill about 600,000 birds a year, according ot the Climate Portal run by MIT. The same research shows that the figure could be small, but is, nevertheless, in the six figures.

The authors of the research point out that house cats kill a larger number. 

Birds have other effects on objects with wind blades. Among these are airplanes that, on rare occasions, report bird strikes. The most famous of these is a bird strike in 2009 that knocked out both engines of an A320 over the Hudson River. The strike took out both engines. A landing in the river saved all 155 souls on board. 

Damage Of $300,000

Bird strikes have also damaged some of the largest energy-producing wind turbines, which are grouped in wind farms. Many of these are offshore. The blades on the largest turbines cost between $200,000 and $300,000, so across a year, these incidents cost many millions of dollars. 

Damage done by other species to alternative forms of energy is probably lower. Solar energy is not particularly dangerous to humans or animals. Nuclear energy is also considered “safe”. Some people do not believe this because of the partial core meltdown at Three Mile Island in 1979. Microsoft is having that facility rebuilt to supply its AI server farms with energy.

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