SmartBirds
© Jozef Chavko
The risk of interaction with power lines and other electrical equipment has been documented in more than 380 bird species, including critically endangered ones. Several million birds die each year after colliding with power lines or being electrocuted when landing on unsafe poles and consoles. As modern landscapes are increasingly criss-crossed by transmission and distribution networks delivering electricity to homes and businesses, reducing these risks has become a major conservation challenge. Addressing this issue was the focus of the international conference Free Sky for Birds 2026, held on March 10–12 in Bratislava, Slovakia, where experts from across Europe and beyond gathered to share solutions and strengthen international cooperation.
„During ongoing bird migration, birds face numerous threats along their journeys, including collisions with barely visible wires and electrocution when landing on un-safe utility poles. Such incidents often result in death or severe injuries, posing a significant risk to vulnerable and protected species. From September 2020 through 2026, fifteen project partners from seven European countries have been working together within the LIFE Danube Free Sky project, an international initiative aimed at reducing the risks that power infrastructure poses to birds. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic and focuses on improving the safety of energy networks along the Danube River, one of Europe’s most important bird migration corridors, ” says Svilen Cheshmedzhiev – project coordinator from BSPB.
© Iordanka Goranova/BSPB
During the conference, Anton Stamenov from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds presented Bulgaria’s experience, highlighting the work under four additional bird conservation projects funded by the EU LIFE Programme – “ ЕP for Birds LIFE” and “LIFE Safe Grid for Burgas”, both led by EP Yug (part of the EVN Group), “ Safe Sky for Birds in North-Eastern Bulgaria” with EDN North as lead partner, and “LIFE for Falcons”.
He emphasized that partnerships between conservation organisations and the energy sector are key to achieving sustainable results and reducing risks for birds.
The Free Sky for Birds 2026 conference brought together 140 experts from 26 countries representing conservation organizations, academic institutions, governmental bodies, energy and railway companies, and manufacturers of protective elements. The conference was organized as a final event of the LIFE Danube Free Sky project, while participants exchanged knowledge, shared innovative technical solutions, strengthened international collaboration, and accelerate efforts to protect bird species and their habitats. On March 12, participants also took part in a field demonstration of technical measures designed to increase the safety of power lines for birds. The demonstration was organized in cooperation with the project coordinator Raptor Protection of Slovakia (RPS) and partner energy companies from Slovakia (ZSD), Hungary (MAVIR), and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
© Lazaros Georgiadis
The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is also a co-organiser of the conference, together with the other project partners.
During the opening of the conference, Peter Stano, Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia, also addressed the visitors. He emphasized the key importance of cooperation on international projects financed by the European Union, for example within the LIFE program, as well as the benefits of mutual exchange of experiences.
