N.S. approves wind farm, but federal officials worry project would kill at-risk birds

A 13-turbine wind farm is worrying federal officials, who say there isn't enough information about what impact the project will have on endangered birds.

A 13-turbine wind farm recently approved by the Nova Scotia government is worrying federal officials, who say there isn’t enough information about what impact the project will have on the endangered roseate tern and other birds.

Nova Scotia’s Environment Department approved the Wedgeport Wind Farm, on the province’s southwest coast, on May 4. Also on that day, an environment assessment by Environment Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service became public.

The federal agencies note in their report that 75 per cent of the breeding of the roseate tern population in Canada occurs about 15 kilometres from the proposed wind farm. They say the endangered animals “may be vulnerable” to the turbines as they fly across the project area at Little River Harbour, N.S., seeking food.

The seabirds have a distinctive appearance, with black caps, bills that are red at their base and a forked tail. The Canadian Wildlife Service has reported that their numbers have plunged to the point where the species is considered at risk.

Federal officials also report concerns about other birds, noting that the area’s headland — a narrow piece of land that juts out into the water — is home to “known important bird habitats” and is used for resting, refuelling and overwintering. They say shorebirds and ducks move over the area at an altitude that puts them at risk of collision with the turbines, especially at dusk and dawn.

The federal experts say there’s insufficient information to assess the project’s impacts on birds, and they call for the creation of maps detailing the flight paths of the various species, which would reveal whether they are at risk of collisions with turbines.

John Kearney, an environmental researcher who has used acoustic methods to chart the high densities of bird calls in the Little River Harbour area, says he was disappointed the Progressive Conservative government approved the wind project.

He said in an interview on Monday he remains concerned about the birds dying from exhaustion in an effort to stay away from the huge windmills — or by blunt force trauma if they fly into them.