Have you ever looked up at a power line filled with perched birds and asked yourself how they can do that and not get electrocuted? We all know power lines are dangerous when touched, so how can birds sit there looking perfectly safe and content? The answer might not be what you expect.
Birds sitting on a wire don’t touch the ground (or anything in contact with the ground), so electricity stays in the power line. But, if a bird touches a power line and equipment or other metal that is grounded, it gives electricity a path to the ground, and the bird could be shocked.
Additionally, if a bird were to touch two wires at once, it would create a circuit. Meaning electricity would flow through the bird and likely electrocute it.
Southern California Edison's Avian Protection Program - Opens in new window makes power lines safer for birds by providing greater spacing of wires or protective covers on distribution poles to prevent birds with wide wingspans from accidental electrocution.
Source: Power Line Safety: It's for the Birds - Opens in new window
Hmm thats i nteresting
Oct 23, 2024, 4:59:30 PMSo if we humans can stand on them we won't get electrocuted if we apply the same principle?
Aug 30, 2024, 3:20:45 AMI don't know how it was triggered but I witnessed about a hundred pigeons sitting on a power line spark and flash and turn into a mess of feathers floating to the ground while driving along a farm field once.
Sep 20, 2023, 3:14:02 AMWhen a bird is sitting on a cable he/she didn't in the line of a complete circuit. Current needs a path to flow, which is generaly from neutral to phase.
Jan 14, 2022, 3:56:20 AMFake. The only reason is there is no connection to ground or charge (Example: The positive wire). Even you can touch a power line and don't get shocked if you don't get in touch with other wire or ground
Dec 24, 2020, 10:37:24 PMIf a human touches a high voltage line without creating a path to the ground same as bird will that person be electrocuted or shock?
Dec 10, 2020, 5:52:44 AMI still don't understand why birds don't get electrocuted. Pls do explain again
Nov 1, 2020, 8:28:56 AMThank you Edison for sharing your information, good to know, God bless you all
Jan 26, 2018, 12:10:26 AMI see that everyone is only writing about the birds, but if you say that it is because the birds are safe due to they, basically do not touch anything else,...what about those of us who spent time as children flying kites? My neighborhood only had wires on one side of the street, and to help the kite fly better, how many of us after putting string at the end of the kite, we would sometimes either attach a key, a wire, and if the kite got caught in the wires, some of us would get the metal rake out back and try to reach high enough to get the kite, and many times, have the metal part of the rake hang on the power lines. Instead of freaking out when they saw what was happening, I saw a Mom or two who were taller get another broom, or rake to reach the other rake, and then be connecting herself to the wires, and getting the kite down. Why was she not "electrified"? Am i not "getting it"? I, myself could not care less, when even though it was 50 years ago, the kite was only Ten Cents. Or i waited until some wind brought it down. Also, we had a big Maple tree that did not get trimmed for several years after it had many branches that reached through all the wires that were hanging there, the same place that the kites were stuck. So, please either re-explain what I have misunderstood, or was the power just not strong enough to hurt a grown adult??
Jan 24, 2018, 7:08:17 PMHi Dave, Though we cannot now be sure of the circumstances you describe, what we are certain of is that no one should ever try to remove a kite or any object caught in power lines. If you see anything caught in power lines, you should report it by calling SCE at 800-611-1911. For anyone flying kites, they should fly them in an open area, far away from overhead power lines and electrical facilities — such as substations. And, if in doing that, the wind pushes your kite near a power lines, let it go. But, again, you should never try to remove that kite or any object from power lines. For more on flying kites safely, visit https://www.insideedison.com/stories/fly-kites-far-away-from-power-lines , and for more on electrical safety, go to http://on.sce.com/2FhIxMD Thanks!
Jan 26, 2018, 2:24:19 PMMaybe they were not power lines but telephone lines is a possibility.
Sep 20, 2023, 3:20:23 AMThank you always thinking about of thousand birds standing in the wires by 6pm even taken close up pictures to find out why nothing happens to them. 😰
Jan 24, 2018, 8:12:12 AM