Entergy Uses Bird Diverters to Protect Louisiana’s Whooping Cranes
Entergy is working alongside the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and FulcrumAir to install bird flight diverters on transmission lines throughout Louisiana. The initiative represents an important step in protecting the endangered whooping crane while also helping strengthen the reliability of the electric system for customers.
A species brought back from the brink
More than 800 whooping cranes now exist, including breeding pairs that remain throughout the year within Entergy’s Louisiana service territory. This represents a dramatic turnaround for a species that once faced the threat of disappearing completely from the region.
The whooping crane, which is native to Louisiana’s southern marshlands, came dangerously close to extinction during the early 1940s.
“Whooping cranes are an endangered species that came very close to going extinct in the early 1940s,” said Sara Zimorski, a wildlife biologist with the LDWF. “There were only 21 whooping cranes left at that time. Now, they have made a remarkable recovery thanks to measures taken to preserve the species.”
Among the conservation measures being used today is the placement of bird flight diverters on power lines that cross areas inhabited by whooping cranes.
Entergy maintains more than 1,000 miles of transmission infrastructure and nearly 3,500 miles of distribution lines across Louisiana parishes where the LDWF has documented year-round breeding pairs of whooping cranes. Jefferson Davis Parish is one such area.
“The LDWF reached out to us regarding a breeding pair of whooping cranes in the area,” said Sydney Johnson, Entergy’s avian and biodiversity lead. “This family of cranes lives in a crawfish and rice field right by our transmission lines, and we wanted to make sure that we do what we can to protect these endangered birds.”
Technology that protects birds and supports grid reliability
Preventing birds from colliding with electrical infrastructure can provide benefits beyond wildlife conservation. Fewer bird strikes can reduce damage to conductors and help prevent electrical faults, supporting the long-term reliability of the power network.
To reduce these risks, Entergy is installing bird flight diverters on its transmission lines. These highly visible devices are attached to power lines so that birds can identify the lines more easily from different angles, including during periods of reduced visibility.
The diverters are being installed with FulcrumAir’s LineFly system, a drone-deployed robotic technology designed specifically for work on transmission lines.
“FulcrumAir is installing bird flight diverters using the drone-deployed LineFly robotic tool,” said Jason Jones, vice president of sales at FulcrumAir. “To place bird flight diverters on a transmission line, historically you would have a crew installing it by hand using a helicopter. We’re able to take that human safety risk out of play, and we take environmental disturbance out of play as well. We’re also able to install the diverters while the transmission lines are energized.”
According to Jones, making the wires more visible can be particularly valuable when cranes are flying or approaching landing areas under challenging weather conditions.
“By installing the bird flight diverters, the whooping cranes are able to better see those lines when they are both landing and in-flight in bad conditions, giving them the opportunity to avoid those lines,” said Jones.
Collaboration to advance conservation
Entergy’s efforts are consistent with protections established under federal wildlife laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The project also illustrates how utilities and wildlife agencies can work together to address conservation concerns while maintaining dependable electricity service.
“Partnering with the LDWF really highlights the opportunity to work together with regulatory agencies to achieve a common goal of protecting the species and the animals in our service territory, while also reliably providing power to our customers and our communities,” said Austin Langley, environmental operations manager at Entergy.
The collaboration reflects Entergy’s broader approach to mitigating risks to wildlife around its electrical infrastructure.
“Entergy has really taken a lead position in wildlife mitigation, both in distribution and transmission. They are very proactive in protecting the wildlife,” Jones said. “The things we’re doing here today are the next steps for Entergy to continue to help protect the whooping cranes and other bird populations here in Louisiana.”
Following completion of the pilot project, Entergy intends to expand similar bird-protection measures to additional areas within its service territory.
I’ve kept the factual claims and quotations intact where they function as attributed statements, while substantially changing the surrounding wording, sentence construction, organization, and transitions.
A species brought back from the brink
More than 800 whooping cranes now exist, including breeding pairs that remain throughout the year within Entergy’s Louisiana service territory. This represents a dramatic turnaround for a species that once faced the threat of disappearing completely from the region.
The whooping crane, which is native to Louisiana’s southern marshlands, came dangerously close to extinction during the early 1940s.
“Whooping cranes are an endangered species that came very close to going extinct in the early 1940s,” said Sara Zimorski, a wildlife biologist with the LDWF. “There were only 21 whooping cranes left at that time. Now, they have made a remarkable recovery thanks to measures taken to preserve the species.”
Among the conservation measures being used today is the placement of bird flight diverters on power lines that cross areas inhabited by whooping cranes.
Entergy maintains more than 1,000 miles of transmission infrastructure and nearly 3,500 miles of distribution lines across Louisiana parishes where the LDWF has documented year-round breeding pairs of whooping cranes. Jefferson Davis Parish is one such area.
“The LDWF reached out to us regarding a breeding pair of whooping cranes in the area,” said Sydney Johnson, Entergy’s avian and biodiversity lead. “This family of cranes lives in a crawfish and rice field right by our transmission lines, and we wanted to make sure that we do what we can to protect these endangered birds.”
Technology that protects birds and supports grid reliability
Preventing birds from colliding with electrical infrastructure can provide benefits beyond wildlife conservation. Fewer bird strikes can reduce damage to conductors and help prevent electrical faults, supporting the long-term reliability of the power network.
To reduce these risks, Entergy is installing bird flight diverters on its transmission lines. These highly visible devices are attached to power lines so that birds can identify the lines more easily from different angles, including during periods of reduced visibility.
The diverters are being installed with FulcrumAir’s LineFly system, a drone-deployed robotic technology designed specifically for work on transmission lines.
“FulcrumAir is installing bird flight diverters using the drone-deployed LineFly robotic tool,” said Jason Jones, vice president of sales at FulcrumAir. “To place bird flight diverters on a transmission line, historically you would have a crew installing it by hand using a helicopter. We’re able to take that human safety risk out of play, and we take environmental disturbance out of play as well. We’re also able to install the diverters while the transmission lines are energized.”
According to Jones, making the wires more visible can be particularly valuable when cranes are flying or approaching landing areas under challenging weather conditions.
“By installing the bird flight diverters, the whooping cranes are able to better see those lines when they are both landing and in-flight in bad conditions, giving them the opportunity to avoid those lines,” said Jones.
Collaboration to advance conservation
Entergy’s efforts are consistent with protections established under federal wildlife laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The project also illustrates how utilities and wildlife agencies can work together to address conservation concerns while maintaining dependable electricity service.
“Partnering with the LDWF really highlights the opportunity to work together with regulatory agencies to achieve a common goal of protecting the species and the animals in our service territory, while also reliably providing power to our customers and our communities,” said Austin Langley, environmental operations manager at Entergy.
The collaboration reflects Entergy’s broader approach to mitigating risks to wildlife around its electrical infrastructure.
“Entergy has really taken a lead position in wildlife mitigation, both in distribution and transmission. They are very proactive in protecting the wildlife,” Jones said. “The things we’re doing here today are the next steps for Entergy to continue to help protect the whooping cranes and other bird populations here in Louisiana.”
Following completion of the pilot project, Entergy intends to expand similar bird-protection measures to additional areas within its service territory.
I’ve kept the factual claims and quotations intact where they function as attributed statements, while substantially changing the surrounding wording, sentence construction, organization, and transitions.
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