A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina

Autores
Gallego García, Diego; Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten; Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz; Gómez Espí, Sergi; Sarasola, José Hernán
Año de publicación
2026
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Electrocution on power lines is a major bird mortality source and an important global conservation issue. However, avian electrocution studies are scarce in large regions such as the Neotropical area. Here we evaluate electrocutions recorded across eight provinces of Argentina from 2019 to 2025 and address the characteristics of the poles involved in these events. 160 birds of 18 species were found electrocuted, of which 150 individuals belong to 12 raptor species. The species most affected by this human-induced cause of mortality were the Black- chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) -most of which were immatures-, the Variable Hawk (G. polyosoma), the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), and the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus). We also document for the first time the electrocution of six new bird species. Most electrocutions occurred in winter, and at poles of steel-reinforced concrete, of three-phase power lines with pin insulators and the wires over concrete crossarms. Other recurring characteristics in deadly poles included jumper wires over the crossarms and/or lightning rods in both single- and three-phase power lines. Except a case of electrocution at a pole retrofitted with a useless supplementary perch, none of them had any electrocution mitigation measures (e.g., insulators) implemented. Given the severity of this source of mortality and the increasing knowledge of the pole characteristics that provoke bird electrocution, we propose a large-scale collaborative dataset of avian electrocution, and we urge authorities, lawmakers, and energy companies to implement effective mitigation measures at risky poles and to develop bird-friendly designs for future power lines.
Fil: Gallego García, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Gómez Espí, Sergi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Materia
Power lines
Electrocution
Mortality
Birds
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/288256
Acceder
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network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across ArgentinaGallego García, DiegoOrozco Valor, Paula MaitenMartínez Miranzo, BeatrizGómez Espí, SergiSarasola, José HernánPower linesElectrocutionMortalityBirdshttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Electrocution on power lines is a major bird mortality source and an important global conservation issue. However, avian electrocution studies are scarce in large regions such as the Neotropical area. Here we evaluate electrocutions recorded across eight provinces of Argentina from 2019 to 2025 and address the characteristics of the poles involved in these events. 160 birds of 18 species were found electrocuted, of which 150 individuals belong to 12 raptor species. The species most affected by this human-induced cause of mortality were the Black- chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) -most of which were immatures-, the Variable Hawk (G. polyosoma), the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), and the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus). We also document for the first time the electrocution of six new bird species. Most electrocutions occurred in winter, and at poles of steel-reinforced concrete, of three-phase power lines with pin insulators and the wires over concrete crossarms. Other recurring characteristics in deadly poles included jumper wires over the crossarms and/or lightning rods in both single- and three-phase power lines. Except a case of electrocution at a pole retrofitted with a useless supplementary perch, none of them had any electrocution mitigation measures (e.g., insulators) implemented. Given the severity of this source of mortality and the increasing knowledge of the pole characteristics that provoke bird electrocution, we propose a large-scale collaborative dataset of avian electrocution, and we urge authorities, lawmakers, and energy companies to implement effective mitigation measures at risky poles and to develop bird-friendly designs for future power lines.Fil: Gallego García, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Espí, Sergi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaElsevier2026-04info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/288256Gallego García, Diego; Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten; Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz; Gómez Espí, Sergi; Sarasola, José Hernán; A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina; Elsevier; Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation; 4-2026; 1-72530-0644CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2530064426000313info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.pecon.2026.02.015info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2026-08-25T14:35:45Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/288256instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982026-08-25 14:35:45.327CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
title A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
spellingShingle A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
Gallego García, Diego
Power lines
Electrocution
Mortality
Birds
title_short A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
title_full A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
title_fullStr A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
title_full_unstemmed A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
title_sort A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Gallego García, Diego
Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten
Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz
Gómez Espí, Sergi
Sarasola, José Hernán
author Gallego García, Diego
author_facet Gallego García, Diego
Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten
Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz
Gómez Espí, Sergi
Sarasola, José Hernán
author_role author
author2 Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten
Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz
Gómez Espí, Sergi
Sarasola, José Hernán
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Power lines
Electrocution
Mortality
Birds
topic Power lines
Electrocution
Mortality
Birds
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Electrocution on power lines is a major bird mortality source and an important global conservation issue. However, avian electrocution studies are scarce in large regions such as the Neotropical area. Here we evaluate electrocutions recorded across eight provinces of Argentina from 2019 to 2025 and address the characteristics of the poles involved in these events. 160 birds of 18 species were found electrocuted, of which 150 individuals belong to 12 raptor species. The species most affected by this human-induced cause of mortality were the Black- chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) -most of which were immatures-, the Variable Hawk (G. polyosoma), the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), and the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus). We also document for the first time the electrocution of six new bird species. Most electrocutions occurred in winter, and at poles of steel-reinforced concrete, of three-phase power lines with pin insulators and the wires over concrete crossarms. Other recurring characteristics in deadly poles included jumper wires over the crossarms and/or lightning rods in both single- and three-phase power lines. Except a case of electrocution at a pole retrofitted with a useless supplementary perch, none of them had any electrocution mitigation measures (e.g., insulators) implemented. Given the severity of this source of mortality and the increasing knowledge of the pole characteristics that provoke bird electrocution, we propose a large-scale collaborative dataset of avian electrocution, and we urge authorities, lawmakers, and energy companies to implement effective mitigation measures at risky poles and to develop bird-friendly designs for future power lines.
Fil: Gallego García, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Gómez Espí, Sergi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
description Electrocution on power lines is a major bird mortality source and an important global conservation issue. However, avian electrocution studies are scarce in large regions such as the Neotropical area. Here we evaluate electrocutions recorded across eight provinces of Argentina from 2019 to 2025 and address the characteristics of the poles involved in these events. 160 birds of 18 species were found electrocuted, of which 150 individuals belong to 12 raptor species. The species most affected by this human-induced cause of mortality were the Black- chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) -most of which were immatures-, the Variable Hawk (G. polyosoma), the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), and the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus). We also document for the first time the electrocution of six new bird species. Most electrocutions occurred in winter, and at poles of steel-reinforced concrete, of three-phase power lines with pin insulators and the wires over concrete crossarms. Other recurring characteristics in deadly poles included jumper wires over the crossarms and/or lightning rods in both single- and three-phase power lines. Except a case of electrocution at a pole retrofitted with a useless supplementary perch, none of them had any electrocution mitigation measures (e.g., insulators) implemented. Given the severity of this source of mortality and the increasing knowledge of the pole characteristics that provoke bird electrocution, we propose a large-scale collaborative dataset of avian electrocution, and we urge authorities, lawmakers, and energy companies to implement effective mitigation measures at risky poles and to develop bird-friendly designs for future power lines.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-04
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/288256
Gallego García, Diego; Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten; Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz; Gómez Espí, Sergi; Sarasola, José Hernán; A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina; Elsevier; Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation; 4-2026; 1-7
2530-0644
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/288256
identifier_str_mv Gallego García, Diego; Orozco Valor, Paula Maiten; Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz; Gómez Espí, Sergi; Sarasola, José Hernán; A hundred birds or more: Large-scale assessment of raptor electrocutions across Argentina; Elsevier; Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation; 4-2026; 1-7
2530-0644
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2530064426000313
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.pecon.2026.02.015
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 13.265058

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