Effectiveness of Spiral Diverters in Preventing Asian Houbara Power Line Collisions in Abbas Abad Wildlife Refuge, Iran

Aims: Bird collisions with power lines are a major threat to large birds, particularly bustards (Otididae), including the Asian houbara (Chlamydotis macqueenii). This study evaluates the effectiveness of spiral diverters in reducing these collisions at Abbas Abad Wildlife Refuge, Iran, aiming to develop effective mitigation strategies for vulnerable large bird species in high-risk areas. Methods: Field observations and stakeholder reports were systematically collected for one year before and one year after installing spiral diverters along a 21-kilometer stretch of power lines. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) was used to identify a 7-kilometer segment as a hotspot for collisions, where 450 spiral diverters were then installed. Findings: After installing the spiral diverters, no collisions were recorded in the following year. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that spiral diverters are effective in mitigating collisions for large birds, specifically the Asian houbara. Future research should focus on long-term monitoring to assess the sustained impact of spiral diverters and explore their effectiveness for other large bird species at risk from power line collisions.