Content Details
Compendium of Avian Occurrence Information for the Continental Shelf Waters Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, Shorebird Data Section
- Branch
- Executive
- Category
- Executive Agency Publications
- SuDoc Class Number
- I 72.
- Government Author
- Interior Department, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- Personal Author
- O'Connell AF Jr
- Series Title
- BOEM Environmental Studies
- Publication Title
- Compendium of Avian Occurrence Information for the Continental Shelf Waters Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, Shorebird Data Section
- Date Issued
- 2011
- Subject
- Marine Biodiversity
Birds
Atlantic Ocean; Shorebird Occurrence; Shorebird Data; Wind Power; Marine Birds
- Obligation Number
- M08PG20033
- Geographic Scope
- Atlantic
- Report Number
- BOEM 2012-076
- CSE Reference
- O'Connell AF Jr (US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA; US Geological Survey, Beltsville MD). 2011. Compendium of avian occurrence information for the continental shelf waters along the Atlantic coast of the United States, shorebird data section. Herndon (VA): US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. 4 p. Obligation No.: M08PG20033. Report No.: OCS Study BOEMRE 2012-076. URL: https://espis.boem.gov/Technical%20Summaries/5191.pdf
- Abstract
- Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing segments of the world energy market, offering a clean and abundant source of electricity to meet growing demands. However, wind facilities may have detrimental impacts on many bird species, exposing them to increased mortality through turbine collisions, and altering behavior and flight pathways. Several wind energy facilities are currently being planned for offshore Atlantic waters of the United States. Under Federal laws, regulatory agencies, such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have an obligation to protect populations of birds that may frequent these areas, including shorebirds. In the eastern U.S., BOEMRE has specific jurisdiction over offshore waters beyond three nautical miles (approx. 5.6 km) of shore. As a first step in evaluating the potential for detrimental effects to shorebirds posed by wind turbines in these offshore areas, there is a need to collect information on the occurrence (i.e., distributions) and behavior (e.g., flight heights, direction, timing, etc.) of birds in the marine environment. This information can then be used to develop predictive models of where birds occur and the factors (e.g., food, weather) that influence their distributions, allowing regulators and managers to assess the potential impacts of future offshore facilities. Ultimately, the information can also be used as a baseline for comparisons with post-construction species monitoring efforts, and to identify subsequent research and conservation priorities for species that may be most affected by offshore wind development.