UK Power Networks consider bird diverters after swan collision on Cambridgeshire farmland
Eighteen swans have been found dead after a collision with UK power networks overhead lines, the company says it is assessing preventative measures in the affected area
UK Power Networks has announced that it is assessing the installation of bird diverters at a Cambridgeshire site after eighteen whooper swans were found dead on farmland between Chatteris and Somersham on Saturday. A spokesperson for the company, responsible for managing the power lines, noted that incidents like this are rare but are taken seriously when reported.
“When locations are reported to us, we can consider installing bird diverters,” the spokesperson said, adding that the Cambridgeshire site was flagged as a priority following this incident. “We identified this Cambridgeshire location yesterday and are looking at installing them here.”
Bird diverters have been installed by UK Power Networks at several locations across the eastern region in recent years, including sections in the Cambridgeshire fenlands and areas near Mildenhall in Suffolk, Wissington, and Hilgay in Norfolk. These diverters are small spinning fluorescent discs suspended from live overhead lines, making the cables more visible to large birds with limited eyesight.
According to UK Power Networks, the diverters help prevent collisions by allowing birds to steer clear of cables, improving both bird safety and the reliability of the electricity network for residents.
Warning: Graphic images below
Why are Whooper Swans in danger from overhead lines?
Whooper swans are large migratory birds known for their distinctive yellow and black bills and graceful, elongated necks. Native to northern Europe and Asia, these swans travel vast distances during their annual migration.
In autumn, they migrate from breeding grounds in Iceland, Scandinavia, and Siberia, heading to milder wintering areas across Europe, including the UK, where they seek open water and farmland for feeding and roosting.
This lengthy migration and the swans’ frequent stopovers in open areas put them at risk of flying into power lines, particularly across flat landscapes like the Cambridgeshire fens, where overhead cables are more common.
With their limited binocular vision and the need for long, straight paths for take off and landing, whooper swans often struggle to spot power lines in time to avoid them.
Such collisions can be fatal to the birds, impacting conservation efforts, while also creating power disruptions in affected areas.