Wind turbines to be painted black to stop bird strikes after Trump concerns

Offshore wind turbines will be painted black in an attempt to stop bird collisions and deaths after US President Donald Trump raised concerns about the issue with Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Trump said he was worried about “windmills” in the North Sea, which are thought to kill thousands of seabirds that fly into them, during a call with the Prime Minister in December.

He told Mr Starmer to “get rid of the windmills”, a reference to the UK’s offshore wind turbines.

Now, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has begun a scheme to reduce the risk of collisions by painting the wind turbines black.

The scheme will run for four years and test a variety of paint jobs, including striped turbines and all-black design. It is not clear how much the pilot, which runs until 2028, is costing.

Thousands of seabirds each year are estimated to be killed by turbines in the UK which are set to increase under the Government’s plan to boost renewable energy.

Academic studies, including onshore research from Norway, conclude some birds are attracted to the blades and “risk colliding with the rotors or turbines, leading to increased mortality”.

The studies suggest that painting a turbine blade black was found to reduce bird collisions by 70%.

A government spokesman said: “We are committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower, cutting bills, creating jobs and delivering security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity. This will be delivered, in part, by rapidly increasing the UK’s offshore wind capacity.

“The UK is also home to many globally significant populations of seabirds. This pilot aims to test whether turbine blade painting will reduce bird collisions, helping ensure nature recovery goes hand-in-hand with delivering on the Clean Power Mission."

As of October 2023, the UK had 2,695 offshore wind turbines. These turbines are part of 44 wind farms accounting for around 2o% of global offshore wind capacity.

Mr Trump ordered a halt to new leases and permits for wind projects on his first day back at the White House, his reasoning in part being “they kill the birds”.

Mr Trump told a beachside rally in New Jersey last summer: “They’re horrible and the most expensive energy there is.

“They ruin the environment. They kill the birds. They kill the whales.

“We are going to make sure,” Trump added, “that that ends on day one.”