History and Recent Status of Work on Mitigating Power Line Related Bird Mortality in Hungary

History and Recent Status of Work on Mitigating Power Line Related Bird Mortality in Hungary

MME BirdLife Hungary János BAGYURA, Szabolcs SOLT, Iván DEMETER, Márton HORVÁTH &

Károly NAGY, Péter TÓTH, Éva HORVÁTH, Kálmán SZÜGYI, Gergő HALMOS et al.

Birds and power lines • Electrocution

• Collision

• Nesting structures

Mitigating the electrocution of birds in Hungary • MME / BirdLife Hungary • National Park Directorates & Ministry of Agriculture

• Electric companies • Private and other civil organizations

Main stages of MME’s anti-electrocution program • 1983-2002: Facing the problem, first mitigation measures (J. Bagyura et al.)

• 2003-2005: Large scale surveys, large scale mitigation measures (I. Demeter et al.)

• 2006-2011: Initiating the changes of pylon design and conflict mapping (M. Horváth et al.)

• 2012-2016: 3D modelling (Sz. Solt et al.)

• 2017-: ?

CSĂ VOLY 16 October 1983 10 pylons, 4 buzzards, 5 kestrels, 1 red-footed falcon, 3 hooded crows

CROSS-ARM INSULATION PROGRAM initiation 1989-1991

No. of detected ground-closures before and after insulation (Vincze Lรกszlรณ, Madรกrtรกvlat 2000)

Temporary solutions

No. of insulated pylons with cross-arm covers by 2003 NEMZETI PARKOK

OSZLPOK SZÁMA

Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

6,760

Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

2,110

Kiskunsági Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

2,580

Körös - Maros Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

5,550

Duna - Ipoly Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

1,750

Balaton - felvidéki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

960

Duna - Dráva Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

9,850

Aggteleki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

2,110

Fertő - Hanság Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság ÖSSZESEN

890 32,560

Ca. 5 % of all medium-voltage pylons

Main stages of MME’s anti-electrocution program • 1983-2002: Facing the problem, first mitigation measures (J. Bagyura et al.)

• 2003-2005: Large scale surveys, large scale mitigation measures (I. Demeter et al.)

• 2006-2011: Initiating the changes of pylon design and conflict mapping (M. Horváth et al.)

• 2012-2016: 3D modelling (Sz. Solt et al.)

• 2017-: ?

Imperial eagle LIFE project 2003-2005

Large scale mitigation measures between 2003 and 2010 Imperial Eagle LIFE: 10 831 pylons KÖVICE (Ministry of Environment): 6 608 pylons Red-footed LIFE: 4400 pylons Saker Falcon Life : 6 600 pylons

All together between 1989 and 2010:

60 999 pylons (ca. 10% of dangerous pylons)

Main stages of MME’s anti-electrocution program • 1983-2002: Facing the problem, first mitigation measures (J. Bagyura et al.)

• 2003-2005: Large scale surveys, large scale mitigation measures (I. Demeter et al.)

• 2006-2011: Initiating the changes of pylon design and conflict mapping (M. Horváth et al.)

• 2012-2016: 3D modelling (Sz. Solt et al.)

• 2017-: ?

Size table (in order to use a same language with engineers) Parameters determining the safety distances to be held around the birds seat (landing surfaces)

Minimal distances of phases (2D model): 1200 mm

In inclined plane (30° - 60°):

1600 mm In horizontal plane (0° - 30°):

In vertical plane (60° - 90°):

1200 mm

(Distances of bare wires)

In case of phase-phase short circuit allways should be considered the „large-sized bird category”!

Electrocution priority values of medium-voltage power lines (outside settlements)

Accessible Sky Agreement 26 February 2008

Main stages of MME’s anti-electrocution program • 1983-2002: Facing the problem, first mitigation measures (J. Bagyura et al.)

• 2003-2005: Large scale surveys, large scale mitigation measures (I. Demeter et al.)

• 2006-2011: Initiating the changes of pylon design and conflict mapping (M. Horváth et al.)

• 2012-2016: 3D modelling (Sz. Solt et al.)

• 2017-: ?

Bird friendly solutions on existing lines

Solutions for each categories (even if already modified by „oldschool” technologies) Using MME’s new recommendations based on modeling bird-size categories and regarding limitations demonstrated in 2013 Anyhow: few projects, slow process (no exact data on recent no.)

Future directions – Recent activities Optimal scaling of the head of mid-voltage pylons → Bird-friendly pylon types

Optimal vertical and horizontal scaling of pylon heads regarding to bird size categories

3D Modelling of Safety spaces and distances according to Bird-size categories

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Modelling critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

„A� category = Large-sized birds

Safety distances

Landing surface

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

„B� category = Medium-sized birds

Safety distances

Landing surface

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

„C� category = Small-sized birds

Safety distances Landing surface

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

„D� category = Tiny-sized birds

Safety distances Landing space

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

Safety distances of Large-sized Birds („A� category)

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Typical species of the category: Eagles (see eagles, imperial eagles, Golden eagle), Storks (White and Black Stork), Herons (Grey Heron, Great Egret, etc.)

Safety distances of Medium-sized Birds („B� category)

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Typical species of the category: Buzzards (Buzzard, Long-legged B., Rough-legged B.), Hawk, Harriers, Large Falcons (Saker, Lanner), Eagle-owl, Common Raven

Safety distances of Small-sized Birds („C� category)

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Typical species of the category: Small Falcons (Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon), Owls (Barn owl, Tawny owl, Long-eared owl, Little owl), Rollers, Corvids (Rook, Hooded crow, Western jackdaw, Eurasian magpie), Pigeons (European turtle dove, Eurasian collared dove, etc.)

Safety distances of Tiny-sized Birds („D� category)

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Typical species of the category: Swallows (Barn swallow), Larks (Eurasian skylark), Thrushes (Common blackbird), Shrikes (Red-backed shrike, Great grey shrike), Eurasian jay, Starlings (Common starling), Sparrows (Eurasian tree sparrow), Emberizidae (Corn bunting)

3D Modelling of Safety spaces and distances Example: B = Medium-sized birds

Made by: Szabolcs Solt, BirdLife Hungary

Modelling critical safety spaces and distances (Prevention of phase-to-phase and ground-to-phase short-circuits on mid-voltage electric pylons)

New Mid-voltage pylon type designs in Hungary using the 3D Modelling of MME/BirdLife Hungary – 1.

New Mid-voltage pylon type designs in Hungary using the 3D Modelling of MME/BirdLife Hungary – 2.

New Mid-voltage pylon type designs in Hungary using the 3D Modelling of MME/BirdLife Hungary – 3.

Main stages of MME’s anti-electrocution program • 1983-2002: Facing the problem, first mitigation measures (J. Bagyura et al.)

• 2003-2005: Large scale surveys, large scale mitigation measures (I. Demeter et al.)

• 2006-2011: Initiating the changes of pylon design and conflict mapping (M. Horváth et al.)

• 2012-2016: 3D modelling (Sz. Solt et al.)

• 2017-: ?

Discussion (the same as in 2009…)

We already know: • Where are the most dangerous conflict areas • How to modify power lines into bird friendly types

We still don’t know: • Who will finance the modifications • How long will it take to reach significant decrease in bird mortality among power lines

Thank you for your attention on their behalf!

Red-footed Falcons (Peter Tóth – BNPD)