Operational Impacts of Bird Activity in Substations

BirdBuffer examined bird activity across substations through industry survey data and real-world deployments to reveal the scale of the challenges utilities are experiencing and what’s working in the field.
April 10, 2026

Most substations will deal with birds. Few are solving the issue. 

Utilities continue to invest in deterrents that move the problem without eliminating it, leading to repeated maintenance, rising costs, and ongoing risk. 

So what happens when the approach actually works? 

This report uncovers what utilities are experiencing in the field and shows what happens when the right approach is applied, including a deployment where bird activity was significantly reduced with no reoccurrence observed. 

Download the report to see what it takes to stop bird activity, not just manage it.