Resource selection and survival of plains sharp-tailed grouse at a wind energy facility

As the demand for wind energy development increases across much of the
Great Plains region, there is a need to understand how this type of energy
generation may impact wildlife. Due to their extensive range across areas
with high wind resources plains sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus
phasianellus jamesi) represent a valuable species to evaluate how
selection and survival are associated with existing wind energy
infrastructure. We used spatial and demographic data collected from
radio-marked female sharp-tailed grouse to evaluate resource selection
(nest, brood-rearing, and breeding season) and survival (nest and female)
near existing wind energy infrastructure during the April to August
breeding season over a 3-year period from 2020–2022 in northeastern South
Dakota, USA. We monitored 119 GPS-marked females captured at 8 leks over
the study period. We did not find evidence that females selected nest
sites in relation to wind energy infrastructure but found that females
with broods and females during the breeding season (Apr–Aug) avoided areas
near high densities of wind turbines within 1.0 and 5.0 km of their home
range, respectively. We found consistent selection for lower lengths of
transmission lines across all life stages at the home range scale. We did
not detect an effect of wind energy infrastructure on nest or female
survival. Based on the results of our study, limiting the siting (the
process of selecting the optimal location for a project and the associated
features) of wind turbines within 5.0 km of sharp-tailed grouse breeding
habitat may represent an important siting tool to minimize avoidance of
otherwise suitable habitats.