Mapping priority areas to mitigate the risk of electrocution of range‐restricted bird species

Abstract Power line electrocution is a major threat to bird conservation, particularly for some endangered species. While various mitigation measures have been developed to reduce electrocutions, there is limited information on how to prioritize their implementation for maximum cost‐effectiveness. This gap is especially pronounced in remote, understudied areas and for species with restricted ranges, where systematic data is often lacking. Without such prioritization, financial resources risk being poorly allocated, potentially undermining conservation efforts. Cost‐effective assessments are, therefore, essential to identify high‐risk areas and guide mitigation efforts to where they will have the greatest impact. We propose a framework to identify high‐risk electrocution areas for prioritizing mitigation efforts. Our approach integrates the species' potential activity areas with the energy infrastructure hazard surface to produce a risk map, validated against known electrocution records. Additionally, we perform a cost–benefit analysis to determine the number of pylons that would need retrofitting to achieve specific reductions in electrocution events. As a case study, we used Lear's macaw, a range‐restricted and endemic species from the Brazilian Caatinga, to illustrate the applicability of our framework. For Lear's macaw, electrocution risk was unevenly distributed across the study area, with the central and southern portions of the energy grid identified as priorities for mitigation. Validation procedures confirmed that the risk map accurately represents electrocution risk. Our cost–benefit analysis revealed that retrofitting 10% of pylons (approximately 37,000) could reduce known electrocution events by 80%. Synthesis and applications . Our study proposes a framework to identify areas with higher electrocution risk, which can be used even in data‐scarce regions or adapted to a multi‐species assessment context. This approach can support proactive strategies for energy companies with an initial assessment identifying areas to avoid installing new power lines, evaluating sites for implementing mitigation reactive strategies, with optimal cost–benefit relation and guiding conservation projects by highlighting areas requiring in‐depth investigation of electrocution risks and their impact on population dynamics.