WEST Consulting Biologist Carly Kelly is a co-author of the recently published research article, “Resource Selection and Survival of Plains Sharp-tailed Grouse at a Wind Energy Facility,” published in Ecosphere, an Ecological Society of America open access journal. The study examined the impact of wind energy infrastructure on plains sharp-tailed grouse in northeastern South Dakota from 2020 – 2022. Researchers monitored 119 GPS-marked female grouse and found that while nest site selection was not influenced by wind turbines, females with broods and during the breeding season avoided areas with high turbine densities within 1.0 to 5.0 kilometers (km) of their home range. There was no detected effect on nest or female survival. The study suggests that limiting wind turbine siting within 5.0 km of breeding habitats could help minimize habitat avoidance.
Read the full article here: Resource selection and survival of plains sharp‐tailed grouse at a wind energy facility – Kelly – 2025 – Ecosphere – Wiley Online Library
