Why can birds sit on electrical wires and not get hurt?

Question

Why can birds sit on electrical wires and not get hurt?

Answer 1

To get an electrical shock they would have to touch the wire and the ground.

Answer 2

also the wires are insulated.  at points where wires are not insulated, birds with long wingspans have been known to touch cables on both sides and be electrocuted.  All the other answers are right too.  The bird would otherwise need to be grounded.

Answer 3

because in order to get electricuted by a wire, you need to be touching the ground while touching the wire ...called being "grounded".  Birds sit directly on the wire, not touching anything else

Answer 4

Electricity from the wires try to navigate their way to the ground, kind of like lightning. The birds sit on top, which points out that the electricity doesn't need moving. If the birds were to slip underway, then they would get shocked.

Answer 5

Because they aren't grounded to anything.  They have to be touching something else, in addition to the wire, in order for current to travel through them.