Where to start? development of a spatial tool to prioritise retrofitting of power line poles that are dangerous to raptors

1.Avian electrocution on power lines is a major conservation issue on a global scale. Electrocution risk models have recently been proposed as an effective alternative to prioritising high‐risk pole retrofitting activities at a large scale. However, existing models ignore the specific features of the power poles supporting the power distribution lines and make the tenuous assumption that pole density and power line length are key factors to assessing the electrocution risk at a large scale. This assumption may be violated in areas with high variations in pole configuration.

2.In this study, we used data on raptors electrocuted on poles to develop a predictive model of raptor electrocution risk throughout an extensive geographic area in north‐western Spain, using boosted regression trees (BRT). With the best‐fitting model we predicted the hazard of a set of 188 741 poles and validated the model predictions with new data collected from the study area.

3.Our model highlights the rele...