Providing evidence to improve practice

Action: Add perches to electricity pylons to reduce electrocution Bird Conservation

Key messages

A single before-and-after study in Spain found that adding perches did not reduce electrocutions of Spanish imperial eagles Aquila adalberti.

 

Supporting evidence from individual studies

1 

A before-and-after study in a wetland national park in Andalusia, Spain (Ferrer & Hiraldo 1991), found that adding perches to 80 electricity pylons did not reduce electrocution rates of Spanish imperial eagle Aquila adalberti. This study discusses other eagle management techniques, described in ‘Bury or isolate power lines’, ‘Use signs and access restrictions to reduce disturbance at nest sites’, ‘Foster eggs or chicks with wild conspecifics’ and ‘Remove/treat endoparasites’.

 

Referenced papers

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2017) Bird Conservation. Pages 95-244 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, N. Ockendon & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2017. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.