Illuminating a problem for birds

WILDFOWL and Wetlands Trust (WWT) scientists, at Martin Mere, in Lancashire, England, are preventing swans from crashing into cables.

'Deflecters' are being fitted to make power lines visible, and a graduate student from Lancaster University is studying the birds’ flight patterns. The project is supported by Electricity North West.

The ducks, geese and swans are mainly vegetarian. Vulnerable to predators, especially when feeding, their eyes are at the sides of their heads.