Wind turbines wrong colour for wildlife

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A study has revealed that a wind turbine's colour affects how many insects it attracts, shedding more light on why the turbines occasionally kill bats and birds.

Scientists say that turbines, most commonly painted white or grey, draw in insects. These then lure bats and birds - as they pursue their prey - into the path of the turbine blades.

Support for the idea comes from another study showing that bats are most often killed by turbines at night and in summer, when insects are most abundant.

The full paper, to be published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research, is online at http://dx/doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0432-7. The abstract is available online at no charge. UIUC affiliates not on campus can access it via http://www.library.illinois.edu/orr/get.php?instid=302651.