In 2019 habitat suitability models were produced for the Black Harrier (Colyn et al. in prep) showing the most likely areas where birds are expected during breeding and non-breeding stages, based primarily on tracking studies of birds across South Africa (Garcia-Heras et al. 2019). Using results from the habitat suitability model and the behaviour of harriers within wind farms, Birdlife South Africa have produced Black Harrier - wind-farm guidelines. These are recommendations to assist developers and specialists to find cryptic nests, position future wind farms and mitigate fatalities at wind farms where they do occur with poorly sited wind farms (Simmons et al. 2020). We hope these guidelines provide the tools to study
Given our findings that Black Harrier populations may be at risk to wind farms within their breeding range what are the future prospects for this (and other collision-prone species) in South Africa?