A new system to monitor the number of birds killed by wind turbines has been set up in Scotland.
Scottish Natural Heritage will document the number of avian accidents caused by the towering structures.
Current figures for such collisions are seen as incomplete, with hopes that the new system, which will encourage members of the public to report such accidents, will give a clearer picture of the issue.
The move by SNH comes after a number of high-profile cases, including the death of a white-throated needletail on Harris.
Birdwatchers from across the UK flocked to the island after news of the rare sighting emerged, with the enthusiasts left upset when the long-awaited bird flew into the rotors of a wind turbine.
Peter Hutchinson, planning and renewables unit manager at SNH, said: “SNH provides a range of advice and guidance to help assess the impact of windfarms on natural heritage.
“There is a study under way into birds and turbine collisions but it’s not always easy for people to report incidents, so we have set up an e-mail address for people to report collisions.
“We will use the data collected to investigate links between migration routes, nesting sites and other patterns.”
Eagles and other raptors are judged to be most at risk from colliding with turbines given that the birds can have their eyes fixed on the ground, rather than straight ahead.
The majority of birds are thought to take avoiding action in the face of an oncoming windfarm. Flight lines may be altered when a new windfarm appears, or a last-minute diversion may be taken.
Research recently conducted in the United States has found wind turbines were linked to the deaths of at least 67 golden and bald eagles in the last five years, with claims that the figures could be far higher.