Do cellphone towers operating frequency affect birds? Has the government framed any set of rules for them? Are the service providers following the law?

Question

ChatGPT · Answer

The impact of cellphone towers and their operating frequencies on birds has been a topic of research and debate. Here’s a detailed overview:
Effects on Birds
1. Radiation Exposure: Studies on the impact of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cellphone towers on birds have yielded mixed results. Some research suggests that high levels of EMR might affect bird behavior, navigation, and reproductive success, while other studies have found little to no effect.
2. Habitat Disruption: The construction and presence of cellphone towers can disrupt habitats and nesting sites for birds, which can lead to changes in local bird populations.
3. Behavioral Changes: There is some evidence that EMR can interfere with migratory patterns and communication among birds, particularly for species that rely heavily on magnetic fields for navigation.
Government Regulations
1. Guidelines and Standards: In many countries, including the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established guidelines for EMR exposure to ensure public safety. These guidelines are based on recommendations from health organizations and aim to limit exposure to non-ionizing radiation.
2. Environmental Review: Before constructing new towers, service providers often need to conduct environmental assessments to evaluate potential impacts on wildlife, including birds. This is mandated under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the U.S.
3. Local Regulations: Some states and municipalities have additional regulations that may impose stricter requirements on tower placement and operation to protect local wildlife.
Compliance by Service Providers
1. Adherence to Regulations: Most major service providers claim to comply with federal and state regulations regarding EMR exposure and environmental impact assessments. However, enforcement of these regulations can vary, and local concerns may occasionally lead to disputes.
2. Public Scrutiny: There is ongoing public scrutiny and activism regarding the placement of cellphone towers, particularly in sensitive ecological areas. This can lead to additional pressure on service providers to adhere to environmental guidelines.
Conclusion
While there is ongoing research regarding the effects of cellphone towers on birds, regulations are in place to mitigate potential impacts. Compliance by service providers is generally expected, but local advocacy and environmental assessments play a crucial role in ensuring that wildlife, including birds, are protected.

Robert Grubh · Answer

There is no scientific evidence to state that operating frequency from cellphone towers affects birds. Recently there is was much talk that cellphone frequency/radiation has caused the decline of house sparrows. It is a notion based on no facts. For more details please check my answer in Quora: Why can't we see sparrows nowadays? [ https://www.quora.com/Why-cant-we-see-sparrows-nowadays ]

Milton R Brown · Answer

There are no known effects on birds by towers. They Ste harmed by crossing power lines. The designs are submitted to govt agencies and tested to standards. The providers are required to install and operate them according to installation standards

Dinesh Shavukaru · Answer

Mobile tower has two type of antennas, one is used for communicating with mobiles which is of bar shaped and other is for communication between two towers which is of round shape.

The one which is used to communicate with mobile dosent harm its just myth.

But the one which is used for tower to tower communications is a high frequency microwave antenna. Microwave means not that powerful as our kitchen microwave but %3E10~20ghz

These microwaves operate at line of sight which these antennas radiation happens above 30mtrz and goes beyond 100mtrs from ground level and these radiation happens with a width of some mtrs called frenel zone above 30mtr

These radiation is harmful but not that harmful that it kills bees and birds

For not all birds but It may cause irritation to some bird spicies because of the high frequency

Eleanor R. Adair conducted microwave health research by exposing herself, animals and humans to microwave levels that made them feel warm or even start to sweat and feel quite uncomfortable. She found no adverse health effects other than heat.

As a telecom engineer I have seen birds laying nests on telecom towers like crows, pigeons, eagles

If it is that harmful they would never lay nests on towers.

Hope this makes a sense to believe that radiation not harmful

If we care about birds and other spicies. The only thing we should concern about is we should maintain greenery balance. Plant more trees. Build lakes.

Find more about microwaves at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave

Rick Giovanini · Answer

To understand this, we need to understand the max output power that a cellular base station can output.

Normally, you would consider a 43 dBm transmit power for a macro base station. Translated to linear power, this is about 20 watts. Now, power is distributed across 3 120 degree angles, or 3 sectors (angles) that antennas are directed. So closer to 7 W in one direction IF the efficiency was 100%. Which it definitely is not, probably closer to 75% if you are really lucky. Anyways, let’s just say 100% efficient. For 5G mm wave technology, this high power is super important, as the higher frequencies won’t last for long distances. That’s gotta fry them, right?

Now, we don’t do SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) testing for every animal, so I don’t imagine you to find a test case on birds. But for this purpose, we can assume a bird’s tissue as easily absorbable as a human’s. In the USA, the FCC regulates SAR to 1.6W/kg. This determines the distance a human must be from the base station, the reason why you see those fences around the station. How did they get that? They get something that mimics human tissue, see what power it takes to effect that in any way over long periods of time, and then back off way from that value.

A blue Jay might weigh 2.3–3.8 oz, let’s say 3 oz average. The 1.6W/kg converts to 0.0454W/oz, or 0.1362W/3 oz. In the case of our blue jay. So let’s say our blue jay could only take that much, then they were effected.

The blue jay flies in front of the 7W transmitting power antennas. Does it die because it can only take 0.1362W over it's whole body?

No…

The reason is because SAR is backed off. I mean waaayyy backed off. Because the government had to get involved because of people thinking that we were getting hurt or burnt in some way from electromagnetic radiation.

We don’t…

So testing was done to see when things would be effected, and then SAR divided that by some very large factor, and said, this is the SAR that is safe. The power also is so small when you are transferring information, AANND, it’s not concentrated.

When you think of long range radiation, it’s dispersed, and relatively low power. Even 7W is nothing, because even with directional antennas, you still lose a lot over power through heat in the system, side lobe power in other directions, etc. Have you ever been shocked by 7W? If it was, say 4V, that would be 1.8 or so amps. I was shocked by 60W the other day CONDUCTED POWER (light fixture at ~1/2 amp). It was an uncomfortable shock, but livable. Remember conducted, like through a wire, is concentrated. So not only would that energy be dispersed all around from a base station (radiated), but the SAR rating is not even realistic.

Spread the knowledge. “5G kills” is a joke. Max cellular power (which is about 30dBm or 1 Watt), doesn’t do anything to you at all, even if it’s right against your mouth (cell phone antennas are at the bottom rather than the top..for radiation purposes, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a lobbying group chose that because they were afraid our brains were being effected).

That’s right, 1 Watt.

Here, the power is more concentrated even if it’s radiated, but 1 Watt is nothing. I like to add much more watts to my life to keep me energized

Hope this helps.

Tahaan · Answer

I would like to keep you posted on a news that came on TOI on 22 May 2015.

"It is dangerous for birds and even forest department, in its letter dated May 5, 2015 and May 12, 2015, has accepted that mobile-tower radiation is effecting health of birds and peacock in particular," said Khetawat. Girish Kumar from electrical engineering department of IIT-Mumbai, who had done extensive work on harmful effects of mobile towers radiation on human, birds and animals, said birds, including sparrows, honey bees and peacocks are severely affected by cell-tower radiation as their surface area is more (so radiation absorbed is more) as compared to their body weight.

"When cell-tower radiation impinges on the human body or birds, molecules in the blood, fluid, water vibrate at a speed of 900 millions per second for GSM900 and 1,800 millions per second for GSM1800. These vibrations cause DNA damage and also produce heat, which is the principle of microwave heating," said Kumar.
He added that effects on peacocks is much more pronounced as its wings/feather occupy more surface area resulting in large absorption of radiation, and hence, creating more health hazards leading to various ailments and even death.

Christopher Das Robinson · Answer

* These are the effects of such high towers.

David Lovering · Answer

Not so far as we know.

There are a myriad of OTHER adverse factors that have been injected into the birds’ environment that would almost certainly outweigh the low-level radio waves of cell towers — loss of habitat, water and air pollution, diminishing prey populations, noise, and a myriad of others.

Where would you start?

Add to that the ideal nesting sites that antenna facilities provide, and if anything they’ve aided endangered bird populations to recover.

I get it — cell-phone towers are ugly. Nothing that unsightly should be good for Nature, but sometimes Nature has other ideas.

For a number of years I worked at the Niwot IBM facility north of Boulder Colorado.

Less than half a mile south of the site was a huge dead tree that stood overlooking the reservoir (which was stocked regularly for sport fishermen).

The tree was enormously popular with bald eagles — the IBM plant was apparently just what was needed to scare off foxes and coyotes, and in consequence there were rabbits and squirrels practically tripping over each other.

The eagles had an all-you-could-eat smorgasbord available, 24/7. Surf and turf.

Launch from the tree, glide maybe a hundred yards, snag a small furry critter (or two), head back to the nest, and repeat as needed.

If their palette was glutted with rabbits, they could zip over to the reservoir and bag some fish; they were certainly more adept than the local fishermen.

At the time I started work there, 24 pairs of eagles occupied the dead tree. When I left, there were 28.

The eagles knew a good thing when they found it.

The Lighthouse Communication Inc. · Answer

The impact of high radio waves used in 5G technology on birds is a subject of ongoing research and debate. Here’s a summary of the current understanding and regulatory landscape regarding this issue:

Impact on Birds

1. Research Findings:Direct Impact: Some studies suggest that the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from 5G and other wireless technologies could potentially affect birds' navigation, reproduction, and health. However, the evidence is not conclusive, and more research is needed to establish a clear link.Indirect Impact: Changes in habitat due to the installation of 5G infrastructure could also impact bird populations.
2. Current Evidence:Mixed Results: Research has shown mixed results, with some studies indicating potential harm while others find no significant effects. The variation in findings is often due to differences in study design, species studied, and environmental conditions.
Regulations

1. Global Guidelines:International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP): ICNIRP provides guidelines on the safe levels of exposure to EMFs. These guidelines are used by many countries to regulate the deployment of wireless technologies, including 5G.
2. National Regulations:United States: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the exposure limits for EMFs, including those used in 5G technology, based on ICNIRP guidelines and recommendations from other scientific bodies like the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).European Union: The European Commission follows ICNIRP guidelines and has additional directives to ensure the protection of wildlife, including birds, under the EU Birds Directive.
3. Environmental Assessments:Impact Assessments: In many countries, environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are required before the installation of new telecom infrastructure. These assessments evaluate potential impacts on wildlife, including birds.
Regulatory Efforts

1. Monitoring and Research:Governments and regulatory bodies are encouraging further research to better understand the impact of 5G on wildlife, including birds.Continuous monitoring of EMF exposure levels and their effects on the environment is being conducted to update guidelines and regulations as necessary.
2. Mitigation Measures:Infrastructure Design: Efforts are being made to design telecom infrastructure in a way that minimizes impact on bird habitats.Public Awareness: Increasing awareness among telecom companies and the public about the potential impacts of 5G on wildlife and promoting best practices to mitigate these effects.
Conclusion

While there is ongoing research to fully understand the impact of 5G radio waves on birds, current regulations based on international guidelines aim to ensure safe levels of EMF exposure. Governments and regulatory bodies are actively monitoring and updating these guidelines as new evidence emerges.

For more information on this topic or related concerns, you can contact Lighthouse Communications at (201) 438-4336.

Project Manager · Answer

Valid question -

Mobile radiation

There is no immediate effect when exposed to mobile radiation so far what we have, but its a slow killer and reports have suggested to see mobile radiation as a pollutant. Let alone birds and animals, it's detrimental to humans as well.

Mobile radiation is not the only cause for declain in birds population, may not even be a major chunk when compared to other sources of harm.

Agriculture to be blammed for major disturbance in ecology

Any reasons boils down to modern agricultural practices that shares major cause for the decline

Excessive use of chemicals in farming has complex effect on all living beings

Clearing habitats (all most all kinds ex: forest, wet lands, dry lands, grass lands etc.,) for agricultural purpose to feed 7 billion humans.

Over exploitation of available resources

Urban pollution of all kinds, cancerous development activities displacing wild life.

Another culprit is industrial revolution and world wars which introduced many technologies that perform against nature and natural arrangements, balances.

All the above reasons are creating scarcity of food , nesting sites, scarcity of living space, fresh air, unpolluted water, inducing disorders, decreases etc.,

Mihhail Gotovtsev · Answer

Yes they are, but not in the way you are thinking. 
Cellular towers when getting the signal from the phone need to pass it along to the control centre and this can be done ether by cable in the ground or by a high density microwave beam. When you take a look at the cellular towers, most probably you could see a drum like white or grey boxes. 
Those are directional microwave antennas, that are aimed at another such antenna on a nearby tower. They are very powerful since they need to transmit the entire tower traffic thru them, and they do that by having direct microwave beam blasting to another target antenna. 
Those antennas are very warm, so in cold climates birds like to sit and even nest next to those antennas, most of the reclamations we had on those were because a bird actually broke thru the housing and made a nest inside the antenna itself. But those things are basically a microwave oven set at 300watt, which is not enough to cook the bird instantly, but sure is enough to kill it over time.

Neil Whelchel · Answer

Cell towers are a favorite perching point for many birds. The towers give then a safe place to rest and they are a good lookout for prey. It also gives them a place to put their nests. This is unfortunate because workers are often have to remove nests from the antennas if they block the signal path.

Shiv Kumar · Answer

There is some evidence that suggests that electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phone towers may have negative effects on birds, including deformities. However, more research is needed to fully understand the extent and mechanisms of these effects. Some studies have found that birds exposed to high levels of electromagnetic radiation may experience changes in behavior, navigation, and reproduction. However, it should be noted that other factors such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change also have significant impacts on bird populations.

David Stiles · Answer

Our tower service company maintains and services all types of towers such as cellular, radio and TV and we do NOT notice any negative effect from cellular towers; however, we do often notice dead birds around tall TV towers caused by collisions with guy wires. This has been going on for many years and even then the number of birds found is not exceptionally alarming. Statistics show far more bird strike deaths in collisions with buildings and large motor vehicles.

Anonymous · Answer

No. In fact, they provide nesting sites.

We had an Osprey nest on one, and were not allowed within half a kilometer for 2 months.

If something broke in the site, or on the tower….tough. It stayed broken until the fledglings left.

The federal fines to interfere are huge, and there is even jail time.

Ziad Arafat · Answer

They make them very very irritated and aggressive when they can’t get a signal.

In all seriousness though as far as I understand radio signals, particularly the ones used by phones are harmless. There are myths that they can cause cancer but that has long been debunked.

You are more likely to get cancer from the sun without sunscreen/protection or by eating toxic food throughout your life. The only concern regarding cellphones and other electronic devices is the heat they generate and how it affects your body. Cellphones do generate heat and it does heat up your body when it is touching you. There is still ongoing research about what this means and what damage it can cause. Nothing to do with the waves themselves but the actual heat generated by them may increase the chance of cancer forming or accelerate cancer formation. It’s still very vague however and the studies haven’t provided any real statistics or evidence. Just speculation and small correlations.

If you want to research this be cautious. There is a lot of nonsense on the internet written by uneducated people who have no idea what they are talking about. Only use peer reviewed studies/articles and Wikipedia if the claim has citations.

Omnia Balance · Answer

Yes they affect birds, bees and humans too. A good starting point to understand how and why is the documentary called Resonance, Beings of Frequency.

At the Omnia Radiation Balancer website you can find our explanation for why this happens. It's about how the electrical current spins in a man made radiation field Vs how electrical current spins in the cells of biological life. The result is dissonance and some animals are far more sensitive than others.

LS Ganapati · Answer

A ministry of environment and forests expert committee has said that the Electro- Magnetic Radiation (EMR)from mobile communication towers is largely responsible for the bird's declining numbers. The panel suggested recognizing EMR as a pollutant because of their possible effect on animals and birds.

Himanshu Tiwari · Answer

For example, research by Ruiz-Martinez in Spain concluded that as the radiation of cell phone towers increase, the bird population decreases. As the human population decreases, bird population increases. So the number of cell phone towers with 4G technology might certainly impact the lives of birds, and of humans.

Tahaan · Answer

The number of birds recorded within 200 m radius of mobile tower radiation was comparatively less than that found outside 200 m radius which reveals that these birds are affected more within this range as the number and effect of electromagnetic radiations emitted by mobile towers is inversely proportional to the distance