Prevention of Golden Eagle Electrocution. Final Report

摘要

Eagle electrocutions on distribution lines were documented in six western states by examination of carcasses found below the lines. Golden eagles represented 82.5% of the 416 carcasses found during the study. Fifty-one of the eagles were fresh enough to determine age and time and cause of death. Of these, 80.6% died of electrocution during the winter months, and only 5.8% of these were adult birds. More eagles were electrocuted in areas of cottontail rabbit habitat than in other areas: 36% of the poles in cottontail rabbit habitat had carcasses under them during the time of the study, 21.9% of the poles with mixed cottontail-jack rabbit habitat had eagle carcasses, and 14% of the poles in jack rabbit-only habitat had eagle carcasses (significant at P = 0.001). Poles placed on topographic salients had more eagle mortalities than poles at low points (P = 0.001). None of the carcasses found had gunshot wounds. Measures found to lower incidence of eagle electrocution inlcude routing lines around preferred prey habitat, locating power poles in topographically low areas, and insulating conductors on corner and transformer poles. (ERA citation 08:005018)