Multiple Exploration around the globe well elaborates avian mortalities caused by human-made infrastructures, in the race to provide better and upgraded amenities. These facilities are further divided into three different segments which are increasing day by day:-
Transmission Lines
Communication Tower
Wind Turbines
Acquiring the actual probability of avian population mortality is not an easy task with a frequent increase in the above-mentioned facilities. The level of threats to avians species from the said facilities continues to increase.
Transmission Lines always act as one of the biggest trouble/factors for avian species collisions as compared to other facilities. Powerlines have phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground wire clearances, which leads to avian landing / resting on the Powerline towers and further leads to increased risk of completing the circuit often resulting in electrocution and power failure.
Transmission lines where overhead ground wires are mostly smaller in comparison of the phase conductors are more expected to create bird collisions. Eliminating fixed wires and protecting energized conductors with surge arresters should be taken into consideration wherever possible. The discussed factors are pretty much expensive and even not feasible at all locations. Hence industry leaders came up with an alternative economical solution to reduce avian collisions at powerlines by introducing wire marking devices such as:-
Aerial Marker Spheres
Spiral Vibration Dampers
Conductor Cover-Up
Swinging Plates
Bird-Flight Diverters
Flappers.
Few marking devices that physically enlarge the wire work as a wind sensitive device, inspiring snow during winters automatically increases the risk of wire and power break down due to line tension and stress loads. These devices may also cause physical damage to the conductors.
The output of Bird Diverters was always found up to the mark when it comes to either avian collision or population factors. Different Bird diverters have different specifications and probabilities and hence they cannot be compared among themselves. The efficacy of a few bird diverters that are specifically targeting particular species can hardly be questioned. Bird Diverters execution is well explained if these diverters are easily noticeable and act as a predator to endangered and vulnerable species.
Researchers further state that wherever Bird diverters are installed there should be a min spacing of 5 meters or 16ft between each of them because the probability of collision automatically decreases when the space between bird flight diverters is less.
The brief of worldwide studies well elaborates that Bird Flight Diverters are the most potential rescuer in saving avian species.