Does a textured coating alter bat activity and behaviour in proximity to wind turbines

Published source details Huzzen B. (2019) Does a textured coating alter bat activity and behaviour in proximity to wind turbines. MSc thesis. Texas Christian University.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Apply textured coating to turbines Action Link

Apply textured coating to turbines

A paired sites study in 2017 at a wind farm in an agricultural and wooded area in Texas, USA (Huzzen et al 2019) found that applying a textured coating to a turbine did not reduce the activity of four bat species or the number of bats observed compared to a conventional smooth turbine. Average hoary bat activity was greater at a textured turbine than a smooth turbine in one trial (textured: 2.7 calls/h; smooth: 0.3 calls/h) but did not differ significantly in the other (textured: 0.3 calls/h; smooth: 0.7 calls/h). Activity did not differ significantly between textured and smooth turbines in either trial for eastern red bats Lasiurus borealis (textured: 1.5–1.8 calls/h; smooth: 1.3–1.9 calls/h), tricolored bats Perimyotis subflavus (textured: 0.8–1.1 calls/h; smooth: 0.9–1.0 calls/h), or evening bats Nycticeius humeralis (textured: 1.0–1.5 calls/h; smooth: 1.5–1.6 calls/h). The average number of bats observed also did not differ significantly (textured: 5–7 bats/h; smooth: 6–9 bats/h). A textured coating was applied to one turbine (around the entire turbine from 10–43 m above ground) in each of two pairs in June 2017. The other turbine in each pair was left smooth. Paired turbines (1 ha apart) had similar bat activity during previous surveys. Bats were surveyed on 27 nights at each turbine using night-vision, thermal imaging cameras and bat detectors in June–September 2017.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)