Why Birds Sit On Wires And Don't Get Electrocuted: Facts

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Why are the birds sitting on wires and not being electrocuted?

It is not uncommon to see birds sitting on the wires. An inquisitive person has questions: why do birds love this place so much and are not afraid of electric shocks? Let's figure it out.

Why do birds sit on wires

Birds sit on power lines for the same reason as on trees:

• comfortable to sit;
• it is safe to be, since predators will not get there;
• a lot of space, a whole flock can accommodate.

Birds need to rest periodically. This requires a so-called perch. The tendons of the legs in birds are arranged in such a way that they allow the animal to hold on to objects of a suitable diameter for a long time without muscle effort. The wires are great for this. Small and medium-sized birds choose them as perches, but large ones, for example, eagles, prefer pillars.

One of the reasons why birds choose wires for rest is the ability to stay with their relatives

On power lines, birds not only rest between flights, but also clean their feathers, communicate with each other, and can even hunt insects flying by.

Is it true that birds are not electrocuted

If the reasons why birds sit on high-voltage wires are understandable, then the question of why the current does not act on them is perplexing. There is an opinion that birds are completely immune to electricity. But this is not the case. Let's turn to physics to understand the mechanism of the phenomenon.

Current is the directed movement of charged particles. It appears between points with different electrical potential. The object between these points is called a conductor. If you touch the wire without touching other parts of the body to conductive objects, electric shock will not occur. In this case, the body must have a small electrical capacity - the ability to accumulate an electrical charge. In humans, this indicator is significant, therefore it is impossible for us to reproduce such an experience. But the bird, thanks to its small size, is very simple.

Birds, sitting on the wire, clasp it with both paws - this is both convenient and safe

When the birds sit on the wire, they hold onto it with both paws. In dry weather, the surrounding air is a dielectric - it does not conduct current, therefore animals do not come into contact with points that have a different electrical potential.

Unfortunately, there are also tragic cases when birds die on power lines. This happens if:

• the bird will touch the neighboring wire or support;
• in the beak there is some large object that becomes a conductor - for example, a piece of wire or a wet branch;
• in case of rain or high humidity, in this case the air can begin to conduct current.

Video: why birds are not electrocuted on wires

Birds love to rest on wires, because these are comfortable and safe places to rest. But birds are not immune to electricity. Fortunately, in most cases, the birds still safely avoid electric shock.