Multi-sensor Arrays Provide Complementary Information on Bat Presence and Activity in the Offshore Environment
Eran Amichai1,*, Gregory M. Forcey1, Michelle Vukovich1, and Julia R. Willmott1
1Normandeau Associates, Inc., 13100 Tech City Circle, Suite 500, Alachua, FL 32615. *Corresponding author.
Journal of North American Bat Research, Special Issue 1 (2025):75–88
Abstract
Two Acoustic and Thermographic Offshore Monitoring (ATOM) systems were deployed on wind turbines 42 km offshore to monitor bat activity throughout the year and around-the-clock, using thermal imagery, ambient-light video, and acoustic detectors. We documented a strong seasonal pattern, with 89% of bat detections occurring during late summer and early autumn. We recorded 31–38% of bat detections during daytime. Bats were present while turbine blades were spinning (64% of video detections), and although we occasionally documented altered flight paths, we never recorded a collision. Our results highlight the need for increased monitoring, using innovative and complementary methods, to understand bat presence and behavior in the offshore environment.
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Journal of North American Bat Research is valued by the academic, agency, NGO, and private-sector research community as a respected and trusted source for science related to all aspects of the biology, ecology, and conservation of bats, Order Chiroptera, and their habitats in North America, from Canada to Panama, and the West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles). Manuscripts based on studies outside this region that provide information on species within the region may be considered at the Editor’s discretion.