DANUBEPARKS Position Paper: Electric Power Lines and Bird Conservation along the Danube River Project co-funded by the European Union (ERDF, IPA funds) DANUBEparksCONNECTED ,PSULQW In cooperation with BirdLife Österreich and Danube Delta National Institute Editing & Text: Remo Probst (BirdLife Austria), Alexandru Dorosencu (Danube Delta National Institute) & Georg Frank (DANUBEPARKS) Contributions: Stephanie Blutaumüller, Walter Böhmer, Gabriela Cretu, Attila Fersch, Andrea Froncova, 0ECłNA@$AEnHAN )Q?E=!AQPO?DKR¹ *=NAG$¹HEO $UQH=(EOO $=>NEAH=*KNKVKR 1E>KN*EGQĊG= &KJ*QJPA=JQ 1E>KN-=NN=C "IEHEU=-APGKR= 3HP=GK/KĜ=? 1DKI=O0?DJAE@AN Layout: Maps:HAT=J@QN!KNKOAJ?Q !=IEN*=OE?Ġ!+2"-/(0 /=LD=AH-NEJVĠ!+2"-/(0 Cover Pictures: Georg Frank (DANUBEPARKS) Proofreading: Benjamin Seaman Print:(KJPN=OVP-HQOV(BP 1DEOLNKFA?PEO?KBQJ@A@>UPDA"QNKLA=J2JEKJĠ"/!# &-BQJ@O KLUNECDPNAOANRA@ © DANUBEPARKS 2019 DANUBEparksCONNECTED 7DEOHRIFRQWHQWV Synopsis and aims of the Position Paper4 Birds and power lines – introductory background5 4HEÒ$ANUBEÒkÒFACTSÒANDÒµGURES7 -NKłHA 7 =?G>KJABKN>EK@ERANOEPU7 0PQ@U=NA=8 Power line network10 Current knowledge13 Expert assessment and potential impacts14 Current mitigation measures14 Prioritisation of protection measures Need for prioritisation Collision Electrocution23 Bird-friendly solutions25 -NAHEIEJ=NUAT=JEI=PEKJO=J@LNKFA?P=OOAOOIAJPO25 +AA@O=J=HUOEO=J@HAC=H>=?GCNKQJ@25 3=NE=JP?DA?G25 New construction or conversion Construction versus operation phase 1A?DJE?=HOKHQPEKJO=C=EJOP?KHHEOEKJ 2J@ANCNKQJ@?=>HEJC *=NGEJCKBLKSANHEJAOSEPD>EN@@ERANPANO27 !A?KJOPNQ?PEKJKBLKSANHEJAO29 %=>EP=PIK@Eł?=PEKJOPKIEJEIEOANEOGKB?KHHEOEKJ30 1A?DJE?=HOKHQPEKJO=C=EJOPAHA?PNK?QPEKJ30 Underground cabling30 -NEI=NUOQNB=?AOKHQPEKJO30 0A?KJ@=NUOQNB=?AOKHQPEKJO31 *EOOEJCKNQJOQEP=>HAOKHQPEKJO31 DANUBE FREE SKY – a model for bird conservation at large rivers in Europe32 Acknowledgements33 Literature34 Annex 1: Danube-wide inventory of power lines along the Danube river38 Annex 2: 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(photo: LIFE Energy/Raptor Protection of Slovakia)