Hello, I'm a specialist in renewable energy and environmental impacts. I'm here to provide you with a detailed answer regarding the impact of solar panels on bird populations.

Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of power that has been increasingly adopted worldwide to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. However, as with any human activity that alters the landscape, there are potential environmental impacts to consider, including the effects on wildlife such as birds.

The concern about birds being killed by solar panels typically arises in the context of two main types of solar installations: photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. The latter, which uses mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight onto a small area to generate heat, has been reported to cause direct harm to birds in rare instances.

The Ivanpah Solar Plant in the Mojave Desert, mentioned in the reference, is an example of a CSP plant. It has been reported that birds flying through the concentrated beams of sunlight can be incinerated, leading to the unfortunate phenomenon known as "streamers" due to the smoke trails left behind. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is estimated that up to 28,000 birds are killed each year at this particular plant[^2^].

However, it's important to note that this issue is not widespread across all solar installations. Photovoltaic solar panels, which are the most common type of solar installation, do not produce concentrated beams of sunlight and therefore do not pose the same risk to birds. Instead, the primary concern with PV panels is the potential for birds to collide with them, similar to how birds might collide with windows or other structures.

A study conducted by Argonne National Laboratory estimated that collisions with PV panels at U.S. utility-scale solar facilities result in the death of between 37,800 and 138,600 birds per year[^3^]. While this number may seem significant, it is important to put it into perspective. The same study highlights that the number of birds killed by collisions with buildings and vehicles is in the hundreds of millions annually.

Efforts are being made to mitigate the impact of solar installations on birds. This includes the development of technologies to monitor avian interactions with solar infrastructure and the implementation of deterrents to prevent birds from flying into concentrated sunlight or colliding with panels.

In conclusion, while it is true that some birds are killed by solar installations, particularly at CSP plants like Ivanpah, the numbers are relatively small compared to other sources of bird mortality. The benefits of solar energy in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change far outweigh these impacts. Moreover, ongoing research and technological advancements are aimed at further minimizing the impact on bird populations.

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At the high end of the estimates, that's well more than 1,000 birds chopped to death each day. Meanwhile, as many as 28,000 birds are killed each year -- that's one every two minutes -- by the Ivanpah solar plant in the Mojave Desert, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .Jun 17, 2015read more >>