Americans love
golden and bald eagles. The majestic birds of prey are the nation’s symbol, and
the removal of the bald eagle from the endangered species list in 2007 is
justifiably a source of national pride. Protection of the species is usually
associated with the modern environmental movement, but in fact the Bald and
Golden Eagle Protection Act became law in 1940. So any new threat to their
survival is likely to be a cause of concern for citizens across the nation.
This reality likely accounts for the recent upsurge in criticism of wind
turbines for posing what appears to be a serious danger to eagle populations,
especially those in the western states.
There have been
85 confirmed bald and golden eagle deaths attributed to wind turbines in the
past 13 years, according to a study by a group of biologists working for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that was released in September. Joel Pagel, the
study's lead author, said six of the 85 fallen eagles were bald eagles, as
described in a recent opinion article in the Wall Street Journal. The figures
are distressing, but they ought to be viewed in a common-sense context: How do
those deaths compare with other things that kill the birds?.....To Read More….
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