Date: 8/6/26 1:52 pm From: Kevin Krajcir <kjkrajcir...> Subject: August ASCA Meeting - Michael Ferrara - Birds and Solar Arrays
Hello!
Join the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas on Thursday August 13th at 7
PM to hear Michael Ferrara talk about his research of the factors
influencing bird communities in and around solar facilities. Michael
completed this research as part of his master’s at the University of
Arkansas - Fayetteville, where he is currently pursuing a PhD.
Over the past two years, this study has examined surveys on bird community
abundance and occupancy in and around solar energy facilities (solar
arrays) across Arkansas and Kansas. Solar facilities have increasingly
become a part of the landscape, consisting of rows of solar panels to
generate energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. Newer solar energy
facilities are being developed to incorporate diverse vegetation
communities; however, the effects of these practices on bird communities
remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the factors influencing bird
community occupancy and species richness at solar sites compared to
reference sites, with data collected using autonomous recording units. The
study also assesses the factors influencing bird community abundance in and
around these sites using point count data collected inside, at the
boundaries, and outside these sites. This research highlights that
landscape features are more strongly correlated with avian community
composition than local vegetation characteristics. Overall, we found that
solar panel presence was not strongly related to bird community occupancy,
but abundance tended to be higher outside the solar sites, with variation
across species.
Michael Ferrara is originally from Long Island, New York where he earned
his Bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology from State University of New
York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He has worked with
birds and wildlife across the country. Prior to moving to Arkansas, he
worked for the National Audubon Society in Florida, helping manage
protected shorebird and seabird colonies. Michael completed his Master’s
degree in Biology at the University of Arkansas and is currently pursuing
his Ph.D. in Biology there. His current research focuses on how solar
energy development and habitat management influence bird communities. He
has also served for the past two years as Publicity Director for the
Arkansas Audubon Society and was recently elected Vice President of the
organization.
