It is likely that solar power plants do more damage to the environment than not having any power plant in that area. But, it's not really reasonable to compare solar power to nothing, since every solar power source in some way *replaces* another power source. And I strongly suspect that more birds (and other wildlife) have been killed by coal power plants. Maybe a lot fewer direct kills (birds smacking into power plant windows or whatever), but a lot more kills from the crud that coal plants spew into the air.
Also, this is likely, in large part, an *engineering* problem. There are likely ways we can keep birds away from the dangerous parts of solar power plants, just like there are ways we can avoid bird strikes on windows (like including a hawk silhouette sticker on the window).
Concentrating solar thermal plants definitely have a problem with bird kills. Solar photovoltaics and home water heaters, the vast majority of solar energy usage, don't.
There really hasn't been a study of wildlife kills from coal plant pollution or from coal production. From know human health effects as well as acid rain, I'd bet the coal plants are still champions in this regard, just as they put out more radioactive pollution than nukes do.
Photovoltaic panels do not kill birds. So solar panels on the roof of every house is (in my view) a better idea. Not because of birds (who could be protected various ways if those numbers are accurate), but also because the power is used right where it is generated, reducing the load on the power grid.
28,000 is a very small number.
-Building window strikes may account for 97 to 976 million bird deaths per year
- Communication towers conservatively kill 4 to 5 million birds annually (possibly closer to 40 to 50 million;
http://www.fws.gov/birds/mortality-fact-...
My suspicion is that solar saves more birds that would not be killed by coal pollution.
I think that we should find a way to keep the birds away from the solar farms. A way that will keep them away, but not kill them.
Your lies are getting too obvious
It's estimated that one solar plant in the US is killing 28,000 birds a year who just burst into flames flying over these massive mirrors. That's more bird deaths than all the coal power plants combined. Should the government stop funding solar power, and should the environmentalists call for the end of all solar power until we can protect the birds and the environment from these dangerous factories of death?
