Letters: Birds, bats killed by wind turbines

ISSUE | WIND POWER

Birds, bats victimized

Wind farms have one big drawback ("Hot air isn't wind power," Aug. 30). Even the relatively small number of wind turbines in this country slaughter an estimated 140,000 to 328,000 eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, California condors, and other endangered and protected flying creatures in North America each year.

While possession of an eagle feather can result in a stiff fine, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows repeated "takings" (killings) of bald and golden eagles by wind turbines. And where is the concern about the tens of thousands of bats that are killed each year?

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reported that more than 10,000 bats were killed by turbines in this state alone in 2010. Bats are the principal agents in keeping mosquito numbers down, each one consuming thousands per night. If they are wiped out, we can expect a staggering increase in mosquito-borne diseases, such as encephalitis, West Nile and Zika viruses, and, for our pets, heartworm disease.

|Nick O'Dell, Phoenixville, nickodell16@yahoo.com