Weather can shape movements of animals and alter their exposure to anthropogenic threats. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are increasingly at risk from collision with turbines used in onshore wind energy generation. In the midwestern United States, development of this energy source typically occurs in upland areas that bald eagles use only intermittently. Our objective was to determine the factors that cause wintering bald eagles to occupy riparian areas and riskier, upland areas. We tracked 20 bald eagles using telemetry in the Upper Midwest (MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, USA) during winter 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 and evaluated habitat use by eagles in response to variation in weather and time of year. Eagles used riparian areas more when wind speed and atmospheric pressure were low. Exclusive use of uplands was more frequent during weather systems with low pressure and high humidity and after long periods of cold weather. There was a non‐linear response to time of year (measured by days before migration) in the frequency of exclusive use of uplands or riparian areas. Probability of exclusive use of either landscape was generally constant within 95 days prior to migration. The probability of use of riparian areas, however, was markedly less during dates >100 days before migration. Our results suggest that eagles are most likely to be exposed to wind energy developments located in upland areas during low pressure systems, after long periods of cold weather, and several months before the onset of spring migration. This information helps to better understand the factors influencing bald eagle habitat use in winter and will be useful to managers and developers wishing to establish effective strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate take, and to survey for mortalities at wind energy developments. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

---

白头鹰越冬对高地和河岸地区的利用及其对风能的影响

天气会影响动物的活动并改变其对人为威胁的暴露。秃头鹰（Haliaeetus leucocephalus）与陆上风能发电中使用的涡轮机碰撞的危险越来越大。在美国中西部，这种能源的开发通常发生在秃鹰只间歇性使用的高地地区。我们的目标是确定导致越冬的白头鹰占领河岸地区和高风险，高地地区的因素。我们在2014-2015年冬季和2015-2016年冬季使用遥测技术在中西部中部地区（MN，IA，MO，WI，IL，美国）追踪了20头秃鹰，并评估了鹰对栖息地的使用情况，以应对天气和一年中时间的变化。当风速和大气压较低时，老鹰更多地使用河岸地区。在低压和高湿度的天气系统中以及长时间的寒冷天气后，高地专用土地的使用更加频繁。在一年中的时间（以迁徙前的天数为单位）上，对高地或河岸地区的专有使用频率存在非线性响应。在迁移之前的95天内，任何一个景观的专有使用概率通常都是恒定的。但是，在迁徙前> 100天的时间内，使用河岸地区的可能性明显较低。我们的结果表明，老鹰最有可能在低压系统中，长期的寒冷天气之后以及春季迁徙开始前的几个月暴露于高海拔地区的风能开发中。这些信息有助于更好地了解冬季影响秃鹰栖息地使用的因素，对于希望制定有效策略来避免，减少和减轻采食量的管理人员和开发人员而言，该信息将非常有用。并调查风能开发的死亡率。©2020野生动物协会。