How can birds sit on power lines without getting electrocuted? By Grace

How do birds sit on power lines without getting electrocuted?

Have you ever witnessed a bird on a power line? Of course you have! Have you ever wondered why these warm blooded, feathery creatures don’t get an electrical shock?

Power lines are very dangerous. If a human comes in contact they may die from the 500,000 volts flowing through their body at a raging speed. The 500,000 volts are able to power about 12 average New Zealand homes. Power lines are made in a mixture of cement, rubber and wire or cords.

To make a circuit the bird has made a complete circle. Instead of being perched on one foot, these Birds have put another body part down on another wise, maybe to give more support. If they do that, the consequences could be deadly.

Circuits are all around the world. Humans have been making them all these years without knowing. But if humans aren’t careful with circuits around electricity they might just get a fatal electric shock.

Electric shocks occur when the human body comes into close contact with electric materials. Believe it or not, you humans can get an electric shock from anything; blow driers, telephones, power lines or even jumping on a trampoline.

Birds have hollow bones that help them fly up to the power lines; actually their bones help them fly anywhere. There are over 1,000 different species of birds including; Kea, Tui, Pigeon, Sparrow, Thrush and about 998 more other species. The worlds biggest bird species is the Ostrich. The Ostriches eggs are roughly the size of a twelve-year-olds head. That is big!

Birds usually like to roost in a place high above ground level to keep away from potential dangers below.

To conclude this explanation, birds don’t get electrocuted because they haven’t yet made a complete circuit. Many birds aren’t so lucky, but they didn’t know they made a circuit! Who can blame them?

By Grace