Impacts to Bird Migration Patterns
Approximately 1 of every 3 birds migrating through the U.S. in spring, and 1 of every 4 birds migrating through the U.S. in the fall, traverse the Texas coast to reach their destination. Of the 338 species that migrate between North America (north of Mexico) and South America, 333 of them have been recorded in Texas. That means 98.5% of every bird species in the United States that flies south for tropical latitudes in the winter has been to Texas.
Of the 629 species of birds documented in Texas, 53% of them are migratory.
The federal government, through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is leasing hundreds of square miles of Gulf waters outside of Texas ports for wind energy development. While California’s coastal ecosystems receive significant protections, the Texas Gulf Coast lacks comparable oversight.
Because of Texas’ unique location, and role in supporting migratory birds, we must have accurate data on how renewable wind projects impact the birds that use these flyways each year. To date, all of the studies we are aware of support our concerns that these wind projects significantly impact the migratory birds flying directly over the Gulf of Mexico before resting in Texas.
As offshore wind turbines grow larger, and will soon cover hundreds of miles of the Gulf of Mexico, will birds traveling across the gulf remain out of reach?
