300 poles were insulated in Dobruja by experts from SOR

Jan. 21, 2025
RO insulation
Bird mortality caused by electrocution is a significant conservation issue, particularly impacting birds of prey. Uninsulated medium-voltage power lines, frequently used by these birds as perches while hunting or resting, pose one of the greatest risks to these species.

In 2024, specialists from SOR (Romanian Ornithological Society) within the LIFE for Falcons team conducted a study in Dobrogea, a key region for the population of Saker Falcons in southern Romania. The study aimed to assess the risk of electrocution and identify the most dangerous power lines for birds.

Over two months, the field team inspected 3,764 medium-voltage poles in Saker Falcon nesting territories in Dobruja, finding that 13.4% of the poles had at least one electrocuted bird beneath them. Victims from 28 bird species were identified, with corvids (72.9%) - magpies and hooded crows – being the most common, alongside storks, common buzzards, kestrels, short-toed eagles, and a long-legged buzzard. While no Saker Falcon individuals were found among the victims, the extremely small number of breeding pairs in southeastern Romania underscores the need to reduce and ultimately eliminate the risk of electrocution as a priority.

The results of this study are critical for biodiversity conservation and serve as the foundation for developing effective protective measures to mitigate risks to the Saker Falcon population in Romania, a species classified as endangered and listed on the Red List in both Romania and Bulgaria.

The study revealed that poles with horizontal insulators and metallic crossarms pose the highest electrocution risk for birds. Additionally, the central area of Dobrujaa was identified as having the highest number of victims, and the poles in this region have been prioritized for insulation as part of the international LIFE for Falcons project, implemented in Romania by SOR.

In this effort, SOR collaborated with Rețele Electrice România, the electricity distribution operator in the region. The company engaged a significant number of specialists for feasibility studies, technical project design, and fieldwork. A total of 30 specialists, organized into 10 teams, conducted field operations using 10 specialized vehicles for work at height.

To protect wild birds, SOR and Rețele Electrice România implemented measures to prevent electrocution incidents by installing 1,000 insulating sleeves on medium-voltage power lines in eight localities in Constanța County. These areas include the 300 poles identified as the most dangerous for birds.

We extend our gratitude to Rețele Electrice România for their support, as the scale of this action demonstrates the company's commitment to investing resources and energy in biodiversity conservation.

The installation of insulating sleeves has been completed, and the insulation of medium-voltage power lines in the targeted areas will be followed by a new field study in 2025. The new data will be compared with the initial study to evaluate the effectiveness of this conservation measure.

Addressing the causes of species decline in the region—such as mortality from electrocution, lack of nesting sites, insufficient favorable feeding habitats, and persecution faced by Saker Falcons in their breeding areas—is one of the pillars of the strategy for the project "Ensuring the Recovery of the Saker Falcon Population, an Endangered Species in Bulgaria and Southern Romania," LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162. This project is developed at the regional level and co-funded by the European Union's LIFE program.

  

Photos: SOR