‘Mapping of Bird Flight Paths’ Project

The purpose of the project is to develop a tool based on geographic information systems (GIS), which integrates information on the areas of presence and main flight paths of 45 species of birds listed in the Birds Directive and the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species potentially affected by risk of collision with power lines.

Therefore, the tool allows sensitivity maps to be drawn up at a national level (Spanish mainland and Islands) to identify areas which pose the greatest potential risk of collision, which facilitates more efficient and sustainable decision-making in the planning and development stages of new power lines, and also enables the prioritisation of mitigation actions for existing lines.

The information generated is shared with the regional ministries and departments with competence in biodiversity conservation of the 17 Spanish autonomous communities, as well as with research entities and environmental organizations. In this sense, it will act as a common benchmark framework for the environmental assessment of projects, and will favour transparency in the processes of public information and stakeholders’ consultation in the administrative permitting process for electrical installations.