THE EFFECTS OF AERO-GENERATORS ON MOORLAND BIRD POPULATIONS IN THE ORKNEY-ISLANDS, SCOTLAND

In order to ascertain the effects of aero-generators on breeding birds , two moorland plots in Orkney's West Mainland were censused each year between 1981 and 1989. One plot was immediately adjacent to the aero- generator site while the other acted as a control. Although the bird p opulations in the plots were not large enough to state categorically t hat the aero-generators caused no declines, their effects appear to ha ve been minimal. The only species to have been adversely affected by t he development of the site was Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata and i ts decline was probably the result of factors other than the operation of the aero-generators.