The Wadden Sea area and the area around Blåvands Huk are home to many special bird species and a significant population of both migratory and resting birds. In fact, the area has been designated as one of "international significance".

The monitoring programme will study two factors: the disturbance effect that the offshore wind farm creates and collision risks, if any. However, these two factors are counteractive; if the disturbance effect is significant enough, then birds are likely to migrate away from the offshore wind farm area, thus decreasing collision risks. But we are most interested in studying the disturbance factor in connection with the birds (moulting or foraging birds) that stay in the wind farm area for extended periods of time, and collision risks in connection with migratory birds.

In the environmental permit it was pointed out that the best available methods be used to identify collision risk. Today, there is actually no method for measuring this risk. So Elsam/Eltra have made it our policy to strongly advocate the development of new measurement methods, and earmarked funding for a development project which is to focus on the detection of collision risks between birds and wind turbines.