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

Question

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

Answer 1

The lines are not grounded to anything, so there is no path for the electricity to flow through. We could stand on the wire and not get electrocuted. But if you would touch the wire and the ground or a building you would get electrocuted.

Answer 2

You have to be touching two wires at a time and be grounded on something. A bird id only sitting on one wire at a time.

Answer 3

First, power lines are insulated with rubber or plastic.

Second, the bird isn't grounded. It would need to be also touching something else that would allow an electrical current to pass through its body.

Don't try this. Even though it's safe for birds, you could get killed.

I once saw a bird get electrocuted. Just a big poof! and feathers everywhere! It wasn't pretty.

Answer 4

To get electricuted you have to touch two lines at the same time =]

-chammy

Answer 5

some birds do, birds of prey, falcons, pereguines, and owls, .

Answer 6

The bird has more resistance than the wire, so electricity flows through the wire instead of the bird.

Also, electricity needs a place to go.  The bird isn't connected to the ground or anything, so it essentially acts as a disconnected wire.

Answer 7

I think that all of those are right but the bigger the bird the more chance they have of being electrucuted.  So we would get electrocuted.  IDK why but I think it's because the weight weighs it down so the elctricity goes slower... I really don't know

Answer 8

Only when they have wet feet...