Why doesn't a bird get electricuted sitting on the wires?

Answer 1

The bird doesn't get fried (most of the time) because they don't connect to the ground in any way; the bird is only touching the wire, and not the connectors or the poles. If the bird was to touch something connected to the earth while touching the wire (tree branch, pole, etc), it would turn into a crispy critter.

This has happened a few times, usually to larger birds, like vultures and eagles, that land on the tops of posts, instead of wires. When they spread their wings (5-8 foot span sometimes!) their separate wings can touch different wires, and then we lose another endangered bird.

Squirrels are also famous for wire-hopping without frying. At least until they try to shimmy down connecting posts, and knock out power in an entire subdivision!

Answer 2

Electricity always needs a ground. It will travel through good conductors, the best being copper I believe. Pull apart any cables (not attached to anything) and you will find copper inside. It allows electricity to travel efficiently. Since a bird sitting on a wire isn't touching anything else, it remains safe. If it did touch the wire and the ground at the same time it would get electricuted. For example, if the bird had a copper wire attached to it that was touching the ground, and the bird was on a wire, it would get some electricity pumping through its little body.

Answer 3

the electricity has to pass throgh the bird and the ground, humans could sit on wires too and not get electricuted, as long as they arent touching the ground, like when people get electricuted up there they have a ladder or something connecting them to the ground

Answer 4

Small birds don’t usually get electrocuted because they fail to complete a circuit either by touching a grounded wire or structure, or another energized wire, so electricity stays in the line. But sometimes big birds do get zapped.

Answer 5

I think you hav to be touching two off the wires at the same time to get electricuted

Answer 6

The electricity needs somewhere to go after it enters the bird. It's moving electricity that kills. If the bird had one foot on a wire and one foot on the ground or another wire, then it would get fried.

Answer 7

The Wire is hot. Most power lines are DC not AC in the US. They are High Voltage and Low Amperage. Amperage is what kills you, Voltage just feels really bad when you get hit. However in this case... It is the distance between the legs of the bird (less than an inch) that do not pass enough amperage to kill the bird (Surprisingly they do not feel the voltage since they do not have nerve endings in their feet). It will kill us humans however. So please do not try sitting on power lines at home.

Answer 8

like countless capability, electricity seeks equilibrium, or stability. which skill electricity will pass from severe-capability factors to factors of much less capability, constantly using the path of least resistance. So if the poultry has one foot on our unique cord, and the different foot on, case in point, the floor or on a distinctive cord with much less voltage, the poultry could be electrocuted, as a results of fact the electricity could bypass interior the direction of the poultry on its way from the severe-voltage line to the decrease-voltage line or the floor. yet as long as the two between the poultry's ft are on a similar cord (or wires of a similar voltage), the poultry is secure. the present would not have everywhere else to bypass, so the electricity won't bypass interior the direction of the poultry--it remains on the path of least resistance, the cord. no longer from source: Incidently, do no longer fly kites around wires as a results of fact which you ought to alright finally end up toast

Answer 9

The voltage at one point on the wire is the same as at any other point on the wire. As long as the bird doesn't come in contact with another wire with a different voltage (or ground), it is OK.

Answer 10

Because the wires have a coating on them. Otherwise, they would get electricuted.