RADBIRD

The topic of this project is to record and predict bird migration over the Federal Republic of Germany. Based on (weather) data and forecast models, possible procedures are to be identified to switch off wind turbines in real time in relation to bird migration and to avoid endangering the animals.

With the expansion of wind energy use, the associated risks for birds and bats (especially through collisions) have also increased. The project aims to present and evaluate the current technical possibilities for the continuous recording of bird migration over the Federal Republic of Germany, to quantify bird migration spatially/temporally throughout Germany with the help of weather radar data, to define special risk situations (weather, local conditions) and to show possible ways to an early- or real-time warning system as well as for procedures for the bird migration-dependent shutdown of plants.

Methods

Using archived and current data from about 20 weather radar stations (mainly from the Deutscher Wetterdienst, the German Meteorological Service), existing algorithms will be used to illustrate the temporal and spatial dynamics of bird migration over Germany and to analyse connections with geomorphology and weather.

• Institute of Avian Research “Heligoland Bird Observatory”:
  https://ifv-vogelwarte.de/en/home
• ENRAM (European Network for the Radar Surveillance of Animal Movement):
  www.enram.eu
• Weather Radar in Germany:
  https://www.dwd.de/EN/research/observing_atmosphere/weather_radar/weather_radar.html