Swiss railways launch project to prevent electrocution of large birds

Railways: preventing the electrocution of large birds Keystone-SDA

Railway contact line masts can be deadly for large birds. The eagle-owl, a rare species, is particularly affected. Railway operators and the environment ministry want to take steps to secure dangerous masts.

A stalking hunter, the great horned owl prefers locations that offer it a 360-degree view. High structures such as contact line masts are therefore very much to its taste, states the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in a press release.

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But when it spreads its 1.80 metre wingspan on such a mast and touches two conductive elements simultaneously with its wings, electric shocks are commonplace and, in most cases, fatal.

A third of deaths by electrocution

In addition to road and rail accidents, it is power lines that regularly claim the lives of great horned owls. Around a third of the birds found dead were victims of an electric shock. The actual figure could be even higher, as it must be assumed that many dead birds are never found.

These incidents lead to excess mortality, which is particularly striking in the Swiss Alps, where the great horned owl population has stagnated for years, according to the FOEN.

Pilot project launched

In this context, a pilot project has been launched to restore the masts on the Swiss Federal Railways’ contact lines. An inventory must first identify the dangerous locations and determine which should be treated as a priority.

This inventory, which the FOEN says is “far from complete”, will serve as a planning guide. Installations and masts classified as dangerous for birds will gradually be secured.

Still a lot of work to do

Bird protection measures have already been carried out on various contact line masts in 2023 and 2024. However, the FOEN acknowledges that there are still many structures that could prove fatal for the great horned owl and other large birds.

Securing these masts is doubly beneficial. Protecting the birds also has the effect of reducing traffic disruption and damage to contact lines, the FOEN adds.

Adapted from French by DeepL/ac

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