Wind Turbines — Questions & Answers
How to read this page: Click a question to expand the answer. This page summarizes what multiple studies and agencies report, and also explains why some numbers vary. For the step-by-step measurement protocol you can run in a home, see: Indoor Low-Frequency / Infrasound Measurement Plan.
Birds & Eagles Health & Sleep Infrasound Measurement Policy
How many birds are killed by wind turbines each year in the United States?
Best current estimates land around the hundreds of thousands per year. A commonly cited figure is about ~681,000 birds/year (U.S., circa 2021), with earlier peer-reviewed ranges (for 2012) between roughly 140,000–679,000. Numbers vary because search methods, carcass scavenging, turbine density, and siting differ by project and region. These figures generally refer to direct collisions, not habitat effects.
Context: estimates from conservation groups and syntheses of peer-reviewed studies.How many birds are killed each year in Germany?
Recent nationwide estimates for Germany are roughly on the order of ~100,000 birds/year, acknowledging similar uncertainties in detection and methodology.
Context: national syntheses and academic estimates.How many bald eagles are killed annually by wind turbines in the U.S.?
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service modeling (used for eagle-take permitting) places current annual bald eagle fatalities from the U.S. turbine fleet at about ~345 per year (policy “Q60” estimate). For comparison, modeled golden eagle fatalities are higher (policy “Q80” estimate).
Context: USFWS Final Environmental Assessment supporting the 2024 eagle-take permitting rule.What are the penalties if someone kills a bald eagle in the U.S.?
Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (and related laws), penalties can include fines up to $100,000 and/or up to 1 year in prison for a first misdemeanor offense; more serious violations (felonies) can reach $250,000 and up to 2 years for individuals. States may add additional penalties.
Source context: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service guidance; statutory penalties may vary by case.Do wind turbines cause sickness in nearby residents?
Large community and government studies consistently find strong links between turbine exposure and annoyance and sleep disturbance. Direct, population-level evidence for specific diseases is inconclusive. However, there are documented case reports of people reporting headaches, dizziness, ear/pressure sensations, stress, and improvement when away from the turbines. The most reproducible pathway is: amplitude-modulated low-frequency sound → sleep disruption → stress load, which can harm health over time.
Context: Health Canada community study; state reviews; qualitative case studies in North America and Australia.How many people have left their homes due to health problems they attribute to wind farms?
No official national tally exists. There are documented local cases (e.g., Wisconsin’s Shirley Wind proceedings; Canadian interviews where some families report vacating/abandoning homes; Australian submissions) but no census-level count. Differences in definitions (temporary stays vs. selling a house) and lack of formal reporting make a hard number unknown.
Context: County/health board records, qualitative research, and parliamentary submissions.What happens to the human body under constant ~50 dB low-frequency (“subsonic”) energy?
At modest levels like ~50 dB (infrasound/very-low frequency), people often feel pressure/vibration rather than “hear” a tone. Reported effects include sleep disturbance, annoyance/stress, and in some individuals dizziness/vestibular symptoms or headaches. Clear organ damage at these levels isn’t established; the major concern is chronic stress and sleep loss, which are well-known health risks.
Context: lab exposures (short-term), field reports (long-term), and sleep/stress literature.How can you rigorously measure low-frequency noise and vibration inside homes?
Use a curtailment (ABAB) design with indoor acoustic logging (0.5–200 Hz, including G-weighting for infrasound), structure-borne vibration sensors (bed-frame, slab), and synchronized sleep/physiology (actigraphy, overnight HRV, BP). Analyze amplitude modulation (IOA method) and compare indoor spectra to DIN 45680 guidance. See the full how-to here: Measurement Protocol.
Standards context: IEC 61400-11/-11-2; ISO 7196 (G-weighting); IOA AM method; DIN 45680.Why do different reports give different numbers (birds, eagles, health effects)?
- Methods: Carcass searches miss some fatalities (scavengers, terrain); exposure is often modeled rather than directly measured indoors.
- Reporting: Companies sometimes control access; health complaints may be logged as “annoyance” rather than clinical endpoints.
- Time & growth: Turbine fleets and sizes change; older estimates need scaling.
- Framing: Studies differ in whether they ask “how to mitigate” versus “should this be sited here at all?”
What mitigation options reduce impacts?
- For wildlife: Better siting (avoid flyways/ridge tops), seasonal curtailment, radar-triggered shutdowns, and minimizing night lighting that attracts migrants.
- For residents: Increased setback where topography focuses sound, curtailment during sensitive hours, and design changes that reduce amplitude modulation. Indoor “fixes” are limited if structure-borne coupling is strong.
Sources & further reading (starter list)
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act (penalties and permitting background).
- USFWS Environmental Assessment (2024) on eagle take permitting — nationwide modeling of bald/golden eagle turbine fatalities.
- American Bird Conservancy — syntheses of U.S. bird/turbine mortality estimates.
- Health Canada Wind Turbine Noise & Health Study — community-level sleep/annoyance & biomarker findings.
- Wisconsin Wind Siting Council (2024) — literature review (majority & minority statements) on health effects.
- DIN 45680 (low-frequency in rooms), ISO 7196 (G-weighting), IEC 61400-11/-11-2 (acoustic measurement near turbines), IOA AM method.
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