Bird electrocutions in Western Rajasthan, India

In December 2011 we visited distribution pole lines in the Thar Desert in western India to access their risks to raptors. We inspected 624 concrete poles and detected 160 bird carcasses at pole bases. Although power lines can provide positive benefits for birds, the trend to use concrete poles with metal crossarms outweighs positive benefits. If concrete poles are to be used in raptor habitat, alternative construction methods should be substituted, such as the use of suspended insulators.