Black grouse eye test reveals best flags to protect birds from fatal cables

There is a silent killer lurking in the French Alps: ski lift cables. Over the last 60 years, the wires have accounted for almost 600 recorded landfowl deaths in the region. Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) account for ~70% of the grizzly toll, and that is probably the tip of the iceberg. Figuring out how well the birds see was an urgent priority for wildlife conservationists from the Parc national de la Vanoise, France, to allow them to design cable markers that stand out clearly for black grouse.