In late 2023, experts from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and Elektrorazpredelenie Yug EAD made history by installing reflective markers for birds, known as diverters, along a 20 kV overhead power line. This groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind in Bulgaria, utilized drone technology for the installation.
The installation was carried out on a power line on the southern shore of the Mandra dam, located near Burgas, as part of the LIFE Safe Grid for Burgas initiative, co-financed by the LIFE program of the European Union. The initiative spans four areas of the NATURA 2000 network – Atanasovsko Lake, Burgas Lake, Mandra – Poda complex, and Pomorie Lake, encompassing one of Europe’s largest bird migration routes, Via Pontica.
With a goal to install 2000 bird diverters, this innovative approach developed by BSPB enables the installation of diverters on overhead wires passing over water and other hard-to-reach areas. Scheduled for implementation between 2024-2025, the project aims to reduce bird mortality resulting from collisions with power lines, particularly benefiting endangered species like the Dalmatian and Great White Pelicans, that often die when struck by overhead power lines around the wetlands.
The initiative to make the power lines safer for wild birds aligns with the Pelican Way of LIFE efforts to protect Dalmatian pelican and other waterfowl. Since its inception in 2021, over 1,350 poles in the Burgas region have been fitted with protective insulation for birds. Additionally, plans are underway to dismantle four overhead power lines in the Sarafovo district, Burgas, replacing them with underground lines to ensure safer power supply and bird protection.
Witness the groundbreaking installation of diverters with a drone in the accompanying video.