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Figure 4 -10. Bat diversity across the United States (Source: Cryan 2008, used with permission). that may be impacted by ridgeline wind turbines are not limited to those species that breed in North Caro- lina. The Southern Blue Ridge Ecoregion follows the Appalachian migration corridor, which supports significant aggregations of raptors during migration. Over 20 species of raptors, from golden eagles (Aqui- la chrysaetos) and Northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) to red - tailed hawks (Buteo jam aicensis) and Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), use this corridor during the spring and fall. During a fall 2009 hawk count at the Ashland Nature Center, 18 species and over 13,000 individual raptors were counted (HMANA 2010). Specific considerations for the impacts of ridge wind turbines on raptors will be critical to siting and impact assessments in this region. The negative impact of wind development on bats in the Southern Blue Ridge Ecoregion is also of concern. The western portion of the state has localized regions of fairly high diversity compared to other states in the southeast (Figure 4 -10). The NCWRC has iden- tified seven bat species of greatest conservation need that regularly use this region for breeding, migration, or hibernation (Table 4 -7). All seven species have state listing status and one (Indiana bat) is listed as federally endangered (range map: Figure 4 -11). The Southern Blue Ridge Ecoregion may also be an important migratory corridor for a number of other bat species of regional significance. For example, turbine - sensitive tree bats such as silver - haired (Lasi- onycteris noctivagans), hoary (Lasiurus cinereus,) and Eastern /Western red (Lasiurus borealis and Lasiurus blossevillii) bats have distributions that range across North Carolina and may use the Appalachian corri- dor as a migratory route (Figure 4 -12). In addition, the federally endangered gray bat (Myotis grisescens), and the Ozark and Virginia big -eared bats (Coryno- rhinus townsendii ingens and C. townsendii virgin - ianus) have distributions that cross the Southern Blue Ridge Ecoregion (Figures 4 -13 and 4 -14), and North Carolina may play an important regional role in their conservation.