Researchers at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) have attached GPS tags to Barnacle geese to determine if planned wind farms will affect their northward migration to the Arctic. The main flight corridor of the birds takes them through an area that is planned for a large expansion in the UK’s offshore wind power. Both the location and height of birds migration will be tracked to help better inform the siting of new wind turbines.
Dr. Larry Griffin, principal research officer at the WWT, has previously tagged 25 geese and has tracked them over a four-year period. This latest project includes the fitting of solar-powered GPS receiver “back packs” to five geese, with improved battery power that should allow for 24-hour tracking. The hope is to add data on the height of flight as well as an understanding if the geese take any stops to rest at sea.
You can read more about the project on the WWT website.
