Meso‐scale avoidance of wind turbines by four raptors at a Kenyan wind farm

Abstract Wind energy is a vital contributor to renewable energy, but its expansion poses risks to birds. Raptors are particularly susceptible to collisions with wind turbines due to their morphology, foraging behaviour and limited ability to perceive rotating turbine blades. Africa hosts some of the world's highest raptor diversity and a rapidly growing wind energy industry, yet species‐specific collision risks remain poorly understood. Between 2019 and 2024, we fitted nine Augur Buzzards, two African Hawk Eagles, one Martial Eagle and three Rüppell's Vultures with solar‐powered OrniTrack GPS‐GSM trackers to examine their avoidance behaviour across vertical and horizontal planes in a wind farm in Southern Kenya. Wind turbine avoidance behaviour was calculated by comparing observed flight tracks with randomised simulated tracks. Meso‐scale avoidance was observed in all species in both the horizontal and vertical planes. Augur Buzzard displayed the lowest significant meso‐scale avoidance rates at 48.9% while African Hawk Eagle displayed the highest at 74.4% within the rotor height range. Our study revealed species‐specific variations in turbine avoidance, highlighting different collision risks among African raptors and underscoring the need for mitigation strategies especially for those with low avoidance rates such as Augur Buzzard. Practical Implications : Integrating species‐specific management approaches into wind farm operations is essential for harmonising the growth of renewable energy with the protection of at‐risk African raptors.