White Stork from Poland electrocuted in north-western Kenya

A white Stork was abruptly killed when it was electrocuted on the electric poles after flying over 6500 Km from Poland. Sadly, many thousands of storks or birds of prey are killed by overhead powerlines every year – and, crazily, the solution in most cases is very very simple – and yet for years nothing has been done about it!

Electrocuted White Stork. Photo credits @Mathias Putze

Large birds like this White Stork and also many birds of prey (eagles, buzzards etc) often perch on exposed trees in order to get a good view. Electricity poles therefore provide an excellent space for this. However, the design of almost all our power lines in Kenya are such that when a bird opens its wings to take off, the wings can touch a live cable. In so doing, they create a power circuit which end up creating a large electric shock that either kill them immediately or maim them seriously to the point that they just die later.

In the majority of cases, electrocution could be avoided by a simple adaptation of the design of the power line and pole – for example instead of cables running above the horizontal on insulators standing above it, the cables can be hung below the horizontal meaning a bird perched on top can open its wings without risk of touching a live cable.

An electrocuted bird

The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust (KBoPT) is doing excellent work engaging both Kenya Power and Lighting and KenGen. They are trying to persuade them to take urgent action to change existing power lines and also change the way new power lines are to be erected. They are also advising them on the best ‘bird-friendly’ designs. The KBoPT also do an amazing job at rehabilitating birds which have been electrocuted but have not died and, if professionally cared for, can recover and continue to live for many years.

There’s a lot that you, as a concerned citizen, can do about this.
1) Primarily write to KenGen, by clicking here, expressing your concern about the appalling design of power lines that we currently have in Kenya and request they take immediate action to change this. Copy it to KWS, here, who are the custodians of all wildlife in Kenya and  also work closely with KBoT.
2) Support the KBoPT – visit their very professional, well-designed and run rehabilitation Centre in Naivasha (see their website here for details) – and get to see many species of eagles, vultures, buzzards etc up close and learn about their amazing lives.
3) If you ever find a bird of prey that is injured contact the Trust for advice – they will readily assist you and hopefully be able to rehabilitate the bird to fly free once again!

Here is the video of the electrocuted White Stork! Sad…