Wind farms and griffon vultures: No evidence for habituation and coexistence, a reply to Farfàn et al.

Abstract

In a recent paper, Farfán et al. (2023) suggested that a population of griffon vultures in Málaga province (southern Spain) have gradually become habituated to the presence of wind turbines, and even actively avoid them, thus reducing the risk of collision. We believe, however, that their general conclusion that vultures have left the study area of impact immediately after construction of the windfarm, and have gradually recolonized the area, while avoiding collisions by passing alongside or above the wind turbines, is not supported by the results presented. Below we raise three key points explaining why the conclusions of Farfán et al. (2023) are flawed.

Keywords

• Bird abundance
• Conservation
• Environmental impact
• Gyps fulvus
• Renewable energy
• Before-After-Control-Impact