Dear Editor,

Shocking to read in Canada Wildlife an article by Jay Ingram how much bird populations are down especially grassland species on the Prairies. At our farm we noticed fewer swallows this year, both the barn and cave varieties. No doubt climate change and oil/gas production are factors in reducing bird numbers but one also must look at wind turbines. We know they have decimated brown bats which, like many birds, keep insects down. Some of these turbines are placed directly in the path of migrating birds and run at very high speeds. We could have bird smart turbines (better placed and slower running) but this would require a change of thinking by power producers. My wife and I will be out on the annual bird count next Sunday, hoping that numbers have not continued to fall.

Larry Mackillop

Nanton

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