Fatal collision of a White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus with a high-voltage powerline in central Queensland

Abstract

Birds are known to collide with human infrastructure, including powerlines, around the world. As Australia’s transition to renewable energy accelerates, and additional electricity transmission infrastructure is installed around the country, it is increasingly important to consider the potential impacts of powerline collisions on both threatened and non-threatened bird species and to implement measures to mitigate these risks. Although several instances of White-throated Needletail
Hirundapus caudacutus collisions with powerlines have been reported in Australia, none have been described in sufficient detail to allow for planning of potential mitigation measures. Here, we report on a fatal collision of a White-throated Needletail with a high-voltage powerline in central Queensland.