Electric fence and hummingbirds dying

[monkeybreath]

Single wire.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> ...can enter a near deathlike state called torpor that they use to conserve energy </font>

<font color="red"> I work with some people that can do this! </font>

HHHAAAWWWW HAAAWWWWW!!!

Man, you've got that right!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MossRoad]

A friend of mine has dead birds stuck to her electric fence quite often. But she says that it is right next to a normal fence and she suspects they are stepping off of that onto the hot wire and that completes the circuit.

Very puzzling /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[GaryM]

I've read articles, but not recently, that hummingbirds have been known to mistake the brightly colored plastic insulators used on tee posts for flowers. They hover and stick their beaks and tongues into the center of the insulator, if they hit the post at the same time the fence charger has the wire hot....

But that doesnt seem to be the case here.

 

[Typhoon]

I am not 100% sure on this, but I have a family full of electricians so im very familiar with the properties of it. I would say that inductance is playing a part in this. I would bet money on it. Inductance would be present (in small amounts of course) around the fence during the surge period. I also happen to like hummingbirds and know a bit about them. It would only take a minute amount of inductance to interrupt a hummingbirds heart beat. There you have it. That is my theory. The little fellas are having heart attacks!
Good luck!

 

[monkeybreath]

Thanks, that must be it - I did an Internet search yesterdy on hummingbirds generally, and one site recommended not having red insullators because they would attract hummingbirds who would then possibly be killed. They said to paint them black or something. My insullators are yellow, but still may be a problem. I think I will have to run another wire above the hot line - which will not have current - for them to perch on. Our hummingbird population has definitely decreased around the house.

 

[Chief]

My theory is that the little hummers are developing a static electrical charge from the flapping of their wings much in the same way a helicopter develops a static charge from its rotor blades clubbing the air into submission. When the little hummers get close to landing on the fence they get zapped by the built up static charge which jumps to ground causing a fatal shock. I have seen this alot during my 20 years as an Army helicopter pilot picking up sling loads. If the soldier who hooks up the load does not touch the airframe with a static discharge wand grounded to earth prior to hooking up the load; he or she gets a nasty surprise that is strong enough to render them unconscious and in some cases cause serious injury. I would always key the FM radio to discharge any static build up right before the hook up but not all pilots did this. The little hummers are very delicate creatures and probably would not take much to kill them. Well, the is my theory and I am sticking to it! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif