NLI: Northern Lights, Inc. > Carousel > Avian Protection on NLI Power Lines

Avian Protection on NLI Power Lines

An osprey builds a nest on a platform near a power pole fitted with a white cover to protect birds. Photo by Kristin Burge

As you drive around Northern Lights, Inc.’s (NLI) service area, you may notice some of our power poles have extra accessories installed on or above the crossarms, such as white covers, guards, or other attachments. These are part of NLI’s Avian Protection Plan, which is designed to protect birds while also improving electric system reliability and reducing wildfire risk.

Avian Protection Matters

In the United States, birds are protected under several federal laws, including:

  • The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protects more than 1,000 species by prohibiting the killing of birds or the removal of nests or eggs without a federal permit.
  • The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which has provided additional protection for bald eagles since 1940 and golden eagles since 1962.

NLI takes protections seriously and works to ensure our electric system is designed and maintained to minimize harm to wildlife.

Ospreys & Power Poles

1 of the primary species of concern in NLI’s region is the osprey. Each spring, ospreys return from their wintering grounds in Central and South America to nest near waterways rich with fish. Unfortunately, power poles—especially those near our local rivers and lakes—can look like ideal nesting locations.

While a nest may seem harmless, it can create serious problems:

  • Wet nesting material can conduct electricity between energized wires, causing outages.
  • Nests can create fire hazards that damage equipment and threaten young birds.
  • Fires or outages caused by nests can impact service reliability for members.

Reducing the Risk

To deter nesting on power poles in areas with a history of issues, NLI installs a variety of avian protection measures, including:

  • Protective covers over energized equipment
  • Perch deterrents and bird guards
  • Insulated devices that prevent birds from bridging energized parts

In several locations, NLI has also installed dedicated osprey nesting platforms on separate poles or brackets near existing power lines. These platforms give ospreys a safe, attractive alternative to power poles, and they’ve proven highly successful. In most cases, the birds choose the platform instead of the nearby power pole.

To keep these platforms available for ospreys, NLI line crews clean them in early spring before ospreys return, preventing other species, such as geese, from claiming the space first.

Protecting Eagles & Other Large Birds

NLI also installs bird guards to prevent large birds from making contact between 2 energized wires or between a wire and the ground. This is especially important for birds like bald eagles, which can have wingspans of up to 80 inches.

Although feathers provide some insulation, a bird’s bone structure can conduct electricity—particularly when wings are spread during takeoff or when feathers are wet. In areas where this risk exists, NLI adds additional protective equipment to prevent accidental contact to protect the bird and the power system.

Ongoing Commitment

Protecting birds while delivering safe, reliable electricity is an ongoing and evolving effort. NLI continues to evaluate new products, designs, and best practices to improve avian protection across our system.

As you travel through our service area, keep an eye out for 1 of NLI’s nesting platforms—you’re likely to see an osprey using it in late spring or early summer.

Kristin MettkeNorthern Lights Engineering and Operations Manager Kristin Burge is an electrical engineer and has worked in the electric utility industry for most of her career.