This study, done at the Daggett Solar One plant in the Mojave in the early 1980s, concludes that while local bird populations may not have been critically endangered by Solar One, larger concentrating solar plants could potentially imperil more sensitive bird populations in other places. Mortality resulted from two main causes;

1. Collisions with structures, especially reflective surfaces, and;
2. Flying into the concentrated sunlight and getting incinerated, Icarus-style.

Golden eagles and several other bird species of concern frequent the Ivanpah site, which would be many times the size of Solar One. 

Solar One Avian Mortality Study

1. 
   tedra osell 2010 08 19 at 4:03:30 pm

   Depressing.  Why not just solar panel all of LV and call it a day?

2. 
   Laura Cunningham 2010 08 19 at 4:47:49 pm

   This went totally unanalyzed by agencies in Ivanpah Valley, where I have seen California rarities such as Gray vireos migrating through the creosote to get to nesting forests on Clark Mountain.