Benefits - Bird Migration

As part of the Environmental Impact Statement extensive avian research will be studied on wind farms and the impact on Lake Michigan using high resolution avian radar and over-flights. Based upon a review of existing information and field observations, there is less bird activity in Lake Michigan's Mid-Lake Plateau than any other area in the Midwest. The wind turbines in the Mid-Lake Plateau are unlikely to cause bird population declines.

The purpose of locating the Radial Wind Farm in the Mid-Lake Plateau is in part to provide Lake Michigan as a natural barrier to migration. Birds fear the depth and size of the lake during habitat and migration, losing their sense of direction as they travel off the coastal territories. By locating the Radial Wind Farm in the center of Lake Michigan, birds will avoid contact with the wind farm because of the natural barrier imposed by the location of the Mid-Lake Plateau.