[CDHart]

I don't understand why birds can land on a power line without being electrocuted and squirrels can't. Maybe I'm just stupid?

Carolyn

[The Electrician]

Depends on where you put your feet. If both of them are on the wire, close together, and no other part of the bird makes an attractive electrical path to a conductor with a different voltage, then everything's OK. But if the squirrel bridged between the high-voltage line across an insulator to ground, then it's one fried squirrel.

[KarlInOhio]

Touching just one wire (and nothing else) is OK. Touching two wires or a wire and the ground is bad. Only then will electric current flow through you.

Our little furry friends are usually big enough to touch two wires at once (for a very short and smokey time).

[DETAILER]

I don't understand why birds can land on a power line without being electrocuted and squirrels can't. Maybe I'm just stupid?

I see squirrels on power lines all the time around here. It's a veritable squirrel super highway. The problems come when they get stupid and try to chew on something they shouldn't have. I think it's really just curiosity on their part, but it's fatal. Maybe some kinds of wire taste good?

[RooRoobird14]

A critter must complete the electrical circuit in order to be electrocuted. This usually means they must touch two separate phase wires at the same time. When birds touch down with both feet and sit on just one wire, the circuit isn't complete, the electrons can't travel, the bird isn't electrocuted.

Same principle applies if you're trapped in a car with a downed power line (still energized)laying on it. As long as you stay in the car, the rubber tires keep the circuit from being completed--you won't be electrocuted. If you step out of the car and have one foot on the ground and one still touching the car, you will be electrocuted (circuit gets completed). If you jump out and completely away from the car, landing with both feet simultaneously (i.e. never touching car or ground at the same time)you won't be electrocuted.

[RightWhale]

I don't understand why birds can land on a power line without being electrocuted and squirrels can't

They do though. One raven, about 5' wingspan, fried himself just outside our building a few years ago. Really did a number on the power grid; it was down for a couple of hours.

[TexasRepublic]

"I don't understand why birds can land on a power line without being electrocuted and squirrels can't."

My grandfather saw an eagle land on a high-tension line -- the bird was fine until his tailfeathers touched another line beind him. Presto! Instantly fried!