The Bií Stinú Wind Farm, a 164 MW facility with 82 turbines located in Mexico’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec, is a crucial component of the country’s wind energy infrastructure. However, its location in a key migratory corridor for birds raised concerns about potential negative impacts on wildlife.
Since 2018, BE has conducted a comprehensive Monitoring Program to assess the effects of the wind farm on birds and bats. Our approach, based on international best practices to assess bird and bat fatalities, included point and transect surveys to assess birds’ diversity and activity; acoustic surveys and roost monitoring to identify bats roosting sites and activity patterns; regular inspections around wind turbines and power lines to detect bird and bat mortality.
Over six years of monitoring, we identified 136 bird species and 29 bat species within the wind farm’s area. Despite consistent species richness and activity levels, we observed low mortality rates from collisions with wind turbines, with fewer than 2 individuals per turbine per year.
These findings indicate that the Bií Stinú Wind Farm has had minimal negative impacts on flying vertebrates. We will continue our monitoring efforts to track these indicators throughout the project’s lifespan, ensuring the long-term sustainability of both the wind farm and the local wildlife.
