Golden eagles killed after flying into wind turbines

WIND turbines in Scotland have killed dozens of endangered birds of prey, including golden eagles, ospreys and falcons, a report has found.

Figures from Naturescot reveal 33 raptors have been killed after flying into the 246ft-high structures since 2019.

Conservationists and environmentalists suggest this number is just “the tip of the iceberg” as the government agency admitted the figures are “not comprehensive”.

The report comes as the SNP pushes forward with its plans to more than double Scotland’s onshore wind capacity despite its potentially damaging impact on rural areas.

Two hen harriers, a species classified by the RSPB as being in critical decline, were also killed in wind farm collisions in 2020.

The report, first obtained by The Herald, shows that 2019 was one of the worst years for wind farm incidents, with 12 deaths overall, including five ospreys and one white-tailed sea eagle found dead at sites in the Highlands, Sutherland and Orkney.

Both species are currently on the RSPB’S Amber List, which means their conservation status is regarded as a moderate concern.

Edward Mountain, Highlands and Islands Tory MSP, who has pushed for more details around the fatalities, warned the figures might be the “tip of the iceberg” as it is difficult to compile comprehensive data of wind farm death. He told the newspaper the new figures were “alarming”.