Powerlines pose potential risks to birds through collisions during flight and from electrocution. In the study region extending some 160 km from north to south along the western coast of the Gulf of Suez, the main risk is collision with powerlines. Birds are at risk of colliding with power lines during flight, especially when lines are not clearly visible or intersect with important bird flight paths. Factors influencing collision risk include line visibility, bird species behavior, and the proximity of power lines to critical habitats.
The construction of a high voltage overhead transmission line (OHTL) is proposed in the area between Ain Sukhna and Ras Gharib in Egypt in a region located along a flyway for migratory soaring birds. Significantly the proposed route of the OHTL passes through (or nearby) three Important Bird Areas (IBAs); Suez, Ain Sukhna, and Gebel El Zeit
Environics prepared a study following three basic strategies:
- Monitoring of migration pattern through a sampling process at selected localities representative of the proposed power line route. This approach is focused on the northern portion of the power line, where limited migration data is available and a few existing power lines are suitable for carcass surveys.
- Carcass surveys of sample lengths of existing powerlines near the proposed OHTL route. This approach is applied in the southern portion due to the availability of existing powerlines in the exact route of the proposed powerline.
Analysis of available data from wind energy developments (migration data and carcass survey data). This approach is applied in the southernmost portion of the powerline where wind farms are already operated or are being constructed, and therefore a wealth of multi-season monitoring information already exists.