Vanermen, N.; Stienen, E.; Courtens, W.; Van de walle, M.; Verstraete, H. (2013). Attraction of seabirds, in: Degraer, S. et al. (Ed.) Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Learning from the past to optimise future monitoring programmes. pp. 163-165
In: Degraer, S.; Brabant, R.; Rumes, B. (Ed.) (2013). Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Learning from the past to optimise future monitoring programmes. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Operational Directorate Natural Environment, Marine Ecology and Management Section: Brussels. ISBN 978-90-9027-928-2. 239 pp.
Several gull species were shown to be attracted to the offshore wind farms at the Belgian part of the North Sea, which is hypothesised to result from increased roosting possibilities or enhanced feeding conditions. Birds inside the wind farms were mainly observed resting on the water or the turbine foundations, but there is also few but increasing evidence that seabirds indeed started profiting from an improved food availability. In order to unravel the hypothesised link between the increased underwater biodiversity and seabird presence, future monitoring should further focus on the (foraging) behaviour of seabirds occurring inside the wind farms, and start up a research program on pelagic fish communities.
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