Possible Effects of Electromagnetic Fields from Phone Masts
on a Population of White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Alfonso Balmori

Consejeria de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain


Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 24:109-119, 2005


Abstract

Monitoring of a white stork population in Valladolid (Spain) in the vicinity of Cellular Phone Base Stations was carried out, with the objective of detecting possible effects. The total productivity, in the nests located within 200 meters of antennae, was 0.86 + 0.16. For those located further than 300 m, the result vas practically doubled, with an average of 1.6 + 0.14. Very significant differences among the total productivity were found (U = 240; p = 0.001, Mann-Whitney test).
In partial productivity, an average of 1.44 + 0.16 was obtained for the first group (within 200m of antennae) and of 1.65 + 0.13 for the second (further than 300m of antennae), respectively. The difference between both groups of nests in this case were not statistically significant (U = 216; P = 0.26, Mann-Whitney Test). Twelve nests (40%) located within than 200 m of antennae never had chicks, while only one (3.3 %) located further than 300m had no chicks. The electric field intensity, was higher on nests within 200m (2.36 + 0.82 V/m) than on nests further than 300m (0.53 + 0.82 V/m). Interesting behavioral observations of the white stork nesting sites located within I00m of one or several cellsite antennae were carried out. These results are compatible with the possibility. that microwaves are interfering with the reproduction of white storks and would corroborate the results of laboratory research by other authors.

One Observation

The results of the findings and interesting behavioral observations of the white stork nesting sites located within 100m of one or several cellsite antennae and on those that the main beam impacted directly (EFI > 2 V/m) included young that died from unknown causes. Also. within this distance, couples frequently fought over the nest construction sticks and failed to advance the construction of the nests. (Sticks fell to the ground while the couple tried to build the nest.) Some nests were never completed and the storks remained passively in front of cellsite antennae.

Observation from Grahame Blackwell

Well of course it’s all psychosomatic. Those White Storks have been surfing the Internet and reading all those scare stories circulated by the maverick scientists who keep saying there’s a problem. No wonder they’re frightened to death! No wonder they’re so stressed that they keep bickering and can’t even concentrate properly to build their nests - they’ve been flying over news stands and reading about the drop in house prices! Who’s going to bother to build a nest if it’s not even going to keep its value? What silly birds they must be, letting themselves be misled by such wild scaremongering when there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.