Does a textured coating alter bat activity and behavior in proximity to wind turbine towers?

Abstract

Wind turbines kill large numbers of migratory bats. There is therefore a need to alleviate batwind turbine collisions. Research has shown that bats approach and interact with the smooth tower surfaces as if they provide resources (i.e., water and food). We hypothesized that a textured coating would disrupt the smooth surface and potentially result in decreased bat activity in proximity to towers, thereby reducing collision risk. We conducted a paired behavioral survey using thermal, night vision, and ultrasonic acoustic technologies to assess bat activity at 2 pairs of wind turbines (containing a textured and control turbine) in north-central Texas. We found no difference in overall bat activity between smooth and textured turbines, however, we did find some responses to the texture that were species-specific. Our results demonstrate the importance of texture design and suggest that multple mitigation strategies should be used to account for species-specific variation in activity and behavior.