Do birds get zapped by sitting on power lines?
No. And yes. It depends on the bird and on what it touches. “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.” So says a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service fact sheet on birds and power lines. But sometimes big birds do get zapped. Why? Bigger bodies and longer wings, which up the chance of touching, say, a pole or a second power line. A second touch completes a circuit. It gives electricity a path to the ground. The bird gets shocked and usually dies. (Sigh.) Sometimes, too, birds hit the lines. Some power companies put tags on the lines so birds can see them and not get hurt. Next week (speaking of birds and wires!): What in blue blazes are bird streamer flashovers? Twig P.S. Typical victims are big birds that perch in high places: hawks, eagles, vultures, herons. Notes: Find the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service fact sheet, “A Fine Line for Birds: A Gu
