October 2, 2026: Scientists have used artificial intelligence and thermal cameras to monitor how birds interact with offshore wind turbines in the North Sea, providing rare real-world observations of bird movements and potential collisions at sea.
The year-long pilot study was conducted at the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in the Netherlands. Researchers used a system of 16 thermal cameras combined with artificial intelligence to observe bird activity around one offshore turbine during both daytime and nighttime.
Why Monitoring Birds at Sea Is Difficult
Millions of migratory birds cross the North Sea during their spring and autumn migrations. Many of these birds travel at night, making it difficult for researchers to observe their movements around offshore wind turbines.
Unlike land-based wind farms, researchers cannot easily search the area below an offshore turbine for dead birds after a collision. Birds that fall into the sea can sink, drift away or become impossible to locate.
As a result, estimates of offshore bird-collision risks have often relied heavily on mathematical and theoretical models.
16 Thermal Cameras Worked Around the Clock
The new monitoring system was designed to operate continuously, including during darkness and poor weather conditions.
Sixteen thermal cameras were installed around a single offshore wind turbine. The cameras covered different viewing angles and were able to detect flying objects even when conventional cameras would have difficulty operating.
Artificial intelligence was then used to detect and analyse bird and bat movements in the camera footage.
The system could operate during daylight as well as at night and could continue monitoring during conditions such as fog and rain.
22 Possible Collisions Detected
During almost a year of monitoring, covering both spring and autumn migration periods, the system identified 22 possible bird collisions.
Researchers classified two incidents as confirmed collisions, while another was considered highly probable.
The findings provide direct observational information that can be used to improve estimates of collision risks at offshore wind farms.
However, researchers have stressed that the study was primarily designed to test whether the technology could reliably monitor birds and collisions under real offshore conditions.
The Results Do Not Represent All Wind Farms
The researchers have cautioned against interpreting the findings as a universal collision rate for offshore wind farms.
The monitoring system was tested on one turbine at one offshore location. Bird species, weather, migration routes, turbine design, wind conditions and surrounding geography can all affect how birds interact with turbines.
Therefore, the results cannot simply be applied to every offshore wind farm.
AI Could Improve Wildlife Monitoring
One of the most important aspects of the project is the combination of artificial intelligence with thermal imaging.
Traditional monitoring methods can require researchers to manually examine large amounts of video or radar information. An AI system can help identify movement patterns and highlight events that require closer human examination.
This could make it possible to collect much larger datasets about bird behaviour around offshore infrastructure.
Researchers could eventually use such information to determine when birds are most likely to approach turbines and under which environmental conditions collision risks increase.
Offshore Wind Energy Is Expanding
The research comes as Europe continues to expand offshore wind energy across the North Sea.
Offshore wind farms are becoming an important part of Europe's renewable-energy strategy because strong and relatively consistent winds over the sea can provide large amounts of electricity.
At the same time, the expansion of offshore infrastructure has created questions about its potential impact on marine ecosystems and migratory wildlife.
Better monitoring could help governments, researchers and energy companies make decisions using direct observations rather than relying only on theoretical estimates.
Earlier Research Also Found High Avoidance Rates
The new monitoring project is not the only research examining how birds interact with offshore wind turbines.
Previous studies using radar and camera systems have found that many migratory birds actively avoid turbines while flying through offshore wind farms.
One study involving more than four million bird movements reported that more than 99.8 percent of observed migratory birds reliably avoided the turbines.
Other research has also indicated that collision risks can vary significantly between species and environmental conditions.
Researchers Want More Data
The latest project is being used as a starting point for further research.
Researchers plan to collect additional collision data across different locations and environmental conditions. The technology can also be further improved to identify bird species and analyse flight behaviour in greater detail.
More data could help scientists understand exactly when and where collisions occur and which species may face higher risks.
Technology Could Help Protect Wildlife
The development of automated monitoring systems could eventually become an important part of environmental management for offshore wind farms.
Thermal cameras, radar and AI could potentially be combined to detect birds approaching turbines and provide real-time information about wildlife activity.
Such systems could also help researchers evaluate mitigation measures designed to reduce potential collisions.
A New Tool for the Renewable Energy Transition
The study highlights a growing connection between renewable-energy development and advanced technology.
As offshore wind capacity expands, understanding its interaction with wildlife will become increasingly important. AI-powered monitoring could provide scientists with a way to observe these interactions continuously, including during periods that were previously difficult to study.
The latest results do not establish a worldwide bird-mortality figure for offshore wind turbines. Instead, they demonstrate that thermal cameras and AI can provide direct observations of bird movements and potential collisions in the challenging offshore environment.
Further research across multiple wind farms and migration routes will be needed to build a broader understanding of the risks and identify effective ways to protect birds while renewable-energy infrastructure continues to expand.
Journalist: Vijay Singh