In a bid to protect local wildlife, various rail providers in Switzerland have announced measures to protect the country’s birds of prey. At the centre of the plans is the so-called “railway owl”, which likes to perch on what can be dangerous electric power lines.
Swiss rail network can be deadly for birds of prey
In a statement, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) noted that Switzerland’s railways are having a profound impact on the country’s bird species. The impacts are felt most by birds of prey, whose large wingspans can get them tangled up in overhead cables.
“Overhead line pylons are popular with many bird species, whether as hunting grounds, resting places, or even nesting sites…For larger species such as owls, birds of prey, or storks, this quickly becomes dangerous,” the FOEN wrote.
Huge number of eagle owls electrocuted each year
This has a huge impact on the railway or eagle owl. The FOEN noted that railway pylons are “perfectly suited to its needs” as they give the nocturnal hunter a perfect birds-eye view of the surrounding landscape. Unfortunately, with a wingspan of up to 1,8 metres, the largest in the owl family, the eagle owl can often accidentally electrocute itself when perching on the pylons.
The FOEN noted that one in three eagle owls found dead in Switzerland had been electrocuted by power lines. Alongside road accidents, the railways are one of the biggest threats to the species. “Thanks to its unique landscape, Switzerland is an internationally important refuge for many of these rare bird species and bears a shared responsibility for this. To give populations a chance to increase naturally and in the long term, the problem of electrocution must be addressed.”
Switzerland to make the railways safe for owls
Therefore, the government and rail providers have confirmed that they will be making the railways safe for owls. Currently, Swiss Federal Railways is in the midst of a nationwide study, identifying pylons that are a risk to birds of prey. Since 2023, they have started making these overhead lines safe for wildlife, either by insulating the conductive components in the pylons or moving the energy supply underground.
The project takes inspiration from the Rhaetian Railways (RhB) in Canton Graubünden, which has been gradually renovating its lines in the mountains “to make them bird-safe, starting from the eagle owl breeding sites”. The measures have proven to be a lifeline, with the FOEN noting that since 2022, not a single eagle owl has been found electrocuted in the canton.