Why don't birds get electrocuted when they sit on powerlines?

by paul Posted 2012/08/27 04:05:47

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MandaLynne 2012/08/27 04:16:42

+4
Unless the birds touch another wire or grounded object, thus completing an electrical circuit, they are safe.
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Jorge Enriquez 2012/09/26 03:35:22

cause they dont touch both wires same time

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P. Sturm 2012/09/12 01:33:13

They aren't grounded or touching another wire in a different phase. The policy here now is to mount high tension wires vertically so that birds with broad wingspans don't get electrocuted when they take off or land.

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MYSTIC MYSTIQUE 2012/09/11 20:27:33

something with their feet maybe?

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Andrew 2012/08/28 23:18:39

Because the wires like it when the birds sit on them.

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Kat 'CARROT' 2012/08/28 19:32:28

It's to do with their skin. So i was told

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Marianne 2012/08/28 04:57:27

As long as they are one one sole line - and do not touch other lines or grounded objects, they are safe.

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Transquesta 2012/08/27 21:58:14

Because they aren't grounded.

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BigKwell 2012/08/27 17:59:45

+1
Their feet only touch ONE wire. If they touched TWO wires... fried birdie!

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ladypamela 2012/08/27 17:29:58

+1
Great question, I've always wondered about that, lol :)

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Tennessee3501 2012/08/27 15:38:16

Why can't people fly?

It has something to do with being "grounded."

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Willy 2012/08/27 13:59:19

+1
They are not electrocuted because they are not grounded.

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Seonag 2012/08/27 12:47:28

+1
Because they are not grounded and the wires are insulated.

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Willy to Seonag 2012/08/27 14:02:29 (edited)

They are not insulated in my part of the country. The only wires that are insulated are the ones going from your transformer to your house. The wires going down the road from pole to pole are not insulated.

For some reason, the poster of this question has suddenly blocked me. Does anyone have any idea why.

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Transqu... to Seonag 2012/08/27 21:59:12

The wires could be bare metal and they still wouldn't be electrocuted--unless they were grounded.

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PandoraBoxe 2012/08/27 12:12:00

Power lines are insulated...

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Willy to Pandora... 2012/08/27 14:02:57

No, they're not.

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Pandora... to Willy 2012/08/27 14:05:33

kewl. thanx, you are correct I misspoke. It is underground wiring that is insultated.
http://www.slate.com/articles...
so maybe it's because they are not touching something else other than the wire... as in there is no ground and therefore no place for the electricity to go *grins*

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Willy to Pandora... 2012/08/27 14:21:07

Yes, they are not grounded, so they don't get electrocuted.

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Pandora... to Willy 2012/08/27 14:30:24

+1
yay, i finally got it rigth ;-}

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Cunning Stunts 2012/08/27 08:19:35

Bats sure do. They dig through the insulation to get a grip and become a toasty treat.

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Willy to Cunning... 2012/08/27 14:03:57

No, the power lines going down the road from pole to pole are not insulated.

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Cunning... to Willy 2012/08/28 15:58:00

Often wondered about the earthing and all. I do see council workers scraping dead bats from the lines though.

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JMCC 2012/08/27 07:08:49

+2
They need to touch both wires at the same time to form a circuit.

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NakedRei 2012/08/27 06:18:25

+1
Current doesn't flow if there is no voltage difference. The bird's feet are at the same voltage as each other.

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Marcus Clark 2012/08/27 06:12:11

+1
It is quite simple and some of the answers already given are close.
In order for there to be electrical current, there has to be a complete circuit. The birds do not complete a circuit. You could get up there and hang on to one wire and not be electrocuted either as long as you don't complete a circuit. (I would strongly advise against trying it.) If the bird (or you as above) would touch another line or ground, thus completing the circuit, the electrical current would flow, thus causing electrocution.

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Annie~Pro American~Pro Israel 2012/08/27 06:03:16

Always wondered the same thing.

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kofp 2012/08/27 05:46:18

You won't find this bird standing on a power line:

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Tom R 007 to kofp 2012/08/27 11:55:11

+1
YAY a kiwi! :-)

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kofp 2012/08/27 05:43:32

They stand on power lines, not sit on them!

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Dagon 2012/08/27 05:22:59
Willy to Dagon 2012/08/27 14:05:50

+1
Finally, someone with the correct answer.

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Fariborz-Zak 2012/08/27 05:21:31

there should be - and + ,they r on wire (-) but need to touch the ground(+)

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disclaimer 2012/08/27 05:19:56

Because powerlines have outside insulation that prevents the electricity from going everywhere. People get electrocuted by fallen powerlines because when the lines fall, the insulation breaks and the current gets out.

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Willy to disclaimer 2012/08/27 14:06:20

No, they are not insulated.

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disclaimer to Willy 2012/08/28 17:46:41

Bad phrasing on my part. They don't touch anything that would cause a charge to snap.

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Nam Era Vet #1 DNA TLC 2012/08/27 04:41:09

+3
Not grounded

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☆astac☆ 2012/08/27 04:40:15

+2
No path to ground or a lower potential, hence no current flow

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Chloey Hamer 2012/08/27 04:38:08

their feathers cancel out the electricity. :o)

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☆astac☆ to Chloey ... 2012/08/27 04:41:03

Only if they were glass or rubber or other insulating material

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Denny 2012/08/27 04:28:49

+2
Because they don't ground themselfs

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