Accounting for the Fraction of Carcasses outside the Searched Area and the Estimation of Bird and Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities

TL;DR

This paper discusses methods to improve bird and bat fatality estimates at wind farms by accounting for carcasses outside searched zones, introducing a new R package for modeling carcass distribution and estimation.

Contribution

It introduces a new R package (dwp) that models carcass density and estimates the fraction within searched areas, enhancing fatality estimation accuracy.

Findings

Provides guidance on spatial prediction of carcasses outside searched zones

Introduces the dwp R package for carcass density modeling

Improves accuracy of bird and bat fatality estimates

Abstract

In estimating bird and bat mortality at wind turbines, it is essential to account for carcasses that lie outside the searched area. In this manuscript we explore some of the difficulties and nuances involved in the spatial prediction of the number of carcasses that lie outside the searched area and provide extensive guidance and documentation for a new R package (dwp) for modeling carcass density as a function of distance from a turbine and estimation of the fraction of carcasses lying within the searched area, which is a critical parameter in fatality estimation software such as GenEst, eoa, acmeR, and carcass.