When it comes to generating clean energy, existing ecological systems don’t always get the attention they deserve. Take wind turbines, for example, they can have a major impact on birds. Their habitats are changing, and many birds meet their end in due to the spinning wind blades. Eagles are especially at risk; their eyes are fixed on the ground, so they often don’t spot the blades until it’s too late. To shed light on this issue, Small Stream Media conducted a journalistic investigation, using data from a tagged eagle, Spijk20, to tell the story.

I was asked to create an animation that would bring this data to life in an emotional, tangible way. In the animation, you follow the eagle Spijk20 on his final flight before colliding with a wind turbine. The coordinates of this journey were based on real data collected from the transmitter attached to Spijk20, which I used to animate his flight path. To go with the animation, I also designed an infographic that highlights how little legal protection birds currently have in situations like this. Alongside the animation, I also designed an infographic showing just how slim the legal protections are for birds in cases like this.

Commissioned by:

Small Stream Media

Year:

2022

Commissioned by:

Small Stream Media