What is killing US golden eagles?

[Still Waters]

More than four decades ago the golden eagle was awarded the same protections under US law as the country's national bird, the bald eagle. Even disturbing their nests is a criminal offence.

The raptor is not considered to be under threat but scientists are worried about a recent increase in the number of golden eagles killed by wind turbines. Eagles in flight tend to focus on the ground below as they look for prey, unaware of the fast-spinning blades in their paths until it's too late.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-24719185

[Ealdwita]

More than four decades ago the golden eagle was awarded the same protections under US law as the country's national bird, the bald eagle. Even disturbing their nests is a criminal offence.

The raptor is not considered to be under threat but scientists are worried about a recent increase in the number of golden eagles killed by wind turbines. Eagles in flight tend to focus on the ground below as they look for prey, unaware of the fast-spinning blades in their paths until it's too late.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-24719185

Yet another reason to rid the countryside of those useless, unsightly monstrosities!

[Frank Merton]

Ah but wind turbines don't contribute to global warming. Choose: polar bears or golden eagles. Life has hard choices.

(Being serious, I suspect a way to protect the birds, or at least put the turbines in places where the birds aren't common, will evolve. They seem to be a necessary feature of the future world).

[George Ford]

They could easily solve the problem by putting ultra cheap whistles or something on the end of the blades so they make a noise when they spin.

[Ealdwita]

They could easily solve the problem by putting ultra cheap whistles or something on the end of the blades so they make a noise when they spin.

I may be wrong, but I'm guessing you've never been close to one of those things when they're moving.

[Gatofeo]

Wind turbines are noisy. You can hear their whooshing blades from some distance.

How about we do this:

Grab all the lowlifes in prisons and jails. Set them on power-producing bicycles or treadmills, and make them recharge massive batteries!

I'm being facetious, of course.

Solar power is quiet, but only works in areas with a lot of sunshine.

Then, there's the problem of transmitting generated power hundreds or thousands of miles to where it's needed.

Solar power is generally not a local source, but transmitted long distances.

There are many Golden Eagles in the northern desert of Utah where I live. I see them all the time on power poles. There are very few wind turbines or solar generators here. It's simply too expensive to build them. Also, the wind doesn't blow consistently, hard enough, to power a turbine.

My guess is that these birds are so intent on finding food, that they're ignoring the whooshing sound of the blades.

I don't know what the answer is. It's a puzzler.