4 ms·
grep "power line" ...am I really the only one who thought about whether this might contribute to why power lines are so attractive for birds to perch on?
by eganist 9y ago
grep "power line"
...am I really the only one who thought about whether this might contribute to why power lines are so attractive for birds to perch on?
- dschuetz 9y agoIt's likely that they might see the power lines' magnetic "signature" before everything else, as if the lines are highlighted or marked by a visual filter. Large congregations of birds on power lines preparing for a flight, however, is not a clear indicator for that. Perhaps power lines are just more convenient than searching for a tree large enough for the whole flock.
- pjpor 9y agoI suspect the magnetic field around a power line is thousands of times more powerful than earth's magnetic field. It would likely overload the birds senses and not be a pleasant experience.
- jakubp 9y agoTheir perception could be non linear, much like our perception of light intensity. Or it might be adjusted automatically to a higher value, dimming the earth's field but making power lines "bright" but not blinding. What a cool possibility overall!
- goalieca 9y agoThere’s a difference with power lines because it runs an AC current. The earths magnetic field is static for all intents and purposes.
- gmiller123456 9y agoI'd think a more plausible explanation would be that birds prefer a location difficult for predators to reach undetected, and which has a wide field of view. I think it's also presumptuous to assume that just because an organism can see something better, means they prefer it. E.g. There's no doubt that humans can see bright flashing multi-colored lights better than sunlight on an overcast day, but I don't think anyone would argue that humans would prefer the blinking lights over the natural ones.