Bird Wire
OR
“Why do birds sit at the ends of the overhead power lines?”
OR
“Is there a pecking order in a flock of birds?”
At this time of year it is not uncommon to see large groups of birds as they learn how to fly in their ‘pack’ ahead of the migration season. Large groups of starlings are alas becoming a rare sight however you can see them from time to time flying or in this case, perched on overhead power lines.
Not of course the 10,000 Volt national grid power lines – they’d be small black and crispy if they did.
The smaller 3 wire overhead power lines that take electricity directly to remote properties, farms and the such like.
When they do this, clearly they stand in a row as they’re usually on one wire this does beg some questions. . .
- Is there a pecking order?
- Where does the senior bird sit?
- Why do the seem to congregate at one end of the cable (in other words, at a post)?
They line up, all facing the same direction centred around a pole. this would imply ‘head bird’ is at or near the pole but do we know that for sure?
Answers on a postcard. . .or comment. . .
