New York State
Environmental Technical Working Group
Specialist Committees
Bird Communications
The Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) formed a specialist committee in December 2024 to develop communications materials to aid in the dissemination of accurate, science-based information around the potential impacts to birds from offshore wind energy development (Committee Workplan). The committee is developing a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as a resource for stakeholders who communicate directly with the general public and receive questions related to birds and offshore wind. This effort intends to provide scientifically sound, accurate answers to address common questions. The FAQ resource will be updated over time to incorporate emerging questions related to birds and offshore wind energy development. Subscribe to the E-TWG mailing list to receive updates on committee activities and FAQ releases!
Committee member organizations include APEM Limited | Attentive Energy | Duke University | Equinor | Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management | Maine Audubon | National Audubon Society | New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection | Normandeau Associates | National Wildlife Federation | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds | Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative | The Nature Conservancy | Virginia Dept. of Wildlife Resources
See FAQ Themes and Table of Contents below to navigate to individual responses, or see here to view the full FAQ Document with detailed responses and citations, as well as a Glossary of Key Terms and additional resources to aid in the dissemination of the FAQ document :
FAQ Document Version History:
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Version 1 (April 2026): Includes introduction and 16 FAQ responses
Frequently Asked
Questions
I. Offshore Wind Development Process
What are the major components of an offshore wind facility?
Where and when are birds found in U.S. Atlantic offshore environments?
Why should we care about birds and offshore wind development?
What factors determine risk to birds from offshore wind development?
How does offshore wind development compare to other sources of bird mortality?
What non-regulatory actions are being done to better understand how birds interact with offshore wind development and support bird conservation?
II. Potential Offshore Wind Effects on Birds
What are the types of potential effects to birds from offshore wind development?
Does offshore wind development kill birds?
Does offshore wind development alter birds' behavior, movement patterns, and habitat use?
How many birds are impacted by offshore wind development in the U.S. Atlantic?
How do we assess the risk of birds colliding with offshore wind turbines?
What do we know about the frequency of bird collisions at offshore wind facilities?
How is bird monitoring conducted at offshore wind facilities?
What is compensatory mitigation and how does it apply to birds and offshore wind?
V. Regulatory Context and Requirements
What federal environmental laws and international agreements protect birds?
What does 'take' mean for birds?
Other Resources
There are a variety of science communications materials and science-based information available on wildlife and offshore wind energy development in our webinar library, and selected external resources for learning more are also available here.
Photo credits: JuWind farm © David Will - pixabay;