While in the Chicago are during winter I noticed that sometimes I’d see dead birds under utility poles. A local sage explained that birds would land on the crossarms and snuggle for warmth. Once there were enough to close the distance between conductors, current would flow, killing a couple of the poor avians.
Sounded good to me, so felt enlightened.
Suddenly, I wonder if I’ve been had. But these birds were under the crossarms.
Peace,
mangeorge
Since no properly qualified people are so far answering…
I am not an power engineer. I do, however, work in the emergency call centre for the electricity company.
Birds do, unfortunately, sometimes get electrocuted on the overhead network. There are bare, live contacts up there at pole tops and transformers. Large birds have sufficient wingspans that they can be unlucky enough to touch live metal at different potential with each wingtip, creating a flow of current. I think this is more likely at pole tops or transformers…when a bird alights mid-span I suspect that it is less likely to have a wing contact another phase. (no cite, speculative). Also the bare conductors (wires) on the overhead network are gradually being replaced with insulated. Still a lot of uninsulated wires though.
It does sometimes happen mid-span, I remember 2 escaped parrots dying because they perched on one strand of an uninsulated high voltage line and then grabbed another strand with their beaks (there were python references in the engineer’s report…sigh). Birds in flight also strike overheads.
I don’t know whether the huddling theory is true. As far as I can recall birds seem to die singly, not in pairs. I’ve never asked the question of an engineer calling a job in.
Squirrels also electrocute themselves, most often at transformers or poles.
I apologise for any errors to any power engineers that may contribute.