Why Are Birds Safe on Electric Wires While Snakes & Monkeys Suffer Shocks?
Why Are Birds Safe on Electric Wires While Snakes & Monkeys Suffer Shocks?
We often see birds sitting on electric wires that carry electricity across long distances. Many people ask why these birds don’t get electrocuted, while animals like snakes and monkeys sometimes do. The reason is quite simple. Let’s take a closer look.
Most birds do not get electrocuted because they sit on just one wire at a time. Electricity needs a path to flow. If there is no full path from the wire to the ground, the electricity will not move through the bird’s body. So, when a bird is only touching one wire and nothing else, it stays safe.
Experts explain it like this, imagine electricity is like water flowing through pipes. The water only moves through things that offer a path. A bird sitting on one wire is like a pipe that is closed at one end. The electricity does not have a place to go, so it stays in the wire.
But not all birds are safe. Larger birds like eagles are more at risk because their wingspan can touch two wires at the same time or one wire and a pole. This creates a path for electricity to move through their bodies, leading to electrocution. A study in 2016 found that nearly 80% of electrocuted raptors were bald or golden eagles.
Other animals like monkeys and snakes get electrocuted more often. That’s because they often climb the poles or wires from the ground. When an animal touches a wire while also touching the pole or another grounded surface, the electricity flows through its body to the ground. This completes the electric circuit, which is very dangerous.
Power companies sometimes use special devices or designs to keep animals away from the most dangerous parts of the wires. But the problem continues in many areas.
In short, birds don’t get electrocuted because they usually touch only one wire and avoid creating a full path for electricity to flow. But if they or other animals touch more than one point, especially something connected to the ground, they can get seriously hurt or killed.
