Windfarm collision kills eagles [National Wind Watch]

A breeding pair of wedge-tailed eagles has been killed at Roaring 40s’ Woolnorth Bluff Point windfarm in the state’s north-west.

A spokesman for Roaring 40s said the company “gets as upset as anybody when there is a collision”, but urged people to keep the deaths in perspective.

The first eagle was killed on August 17 and a few days later its mate was also struck.

The company spokesman said the second bird was struck as it fended off a second eagle pair trying to moved into its territory.

“It was extremely aggressive behaviour from the two eagles. It was something we had not seen before,” he said.

Eagle monitors were on site and had shut down part of the windfarm because of the presence of the eagles, but that still was not enough.

The injured eagle was taken to a vet and euthanised.

The company said the deaths were the first at the Bluff Point site in almost two years and brought the total number to 12 since the windfarm was fully commissioned in 2004.

The spokesman said the deaths were devastating for workers who were on site purely to watch out for eagles.