Eli5 How does electric current notice if there is a “connection” e. g. to the ground?

Question

Maybe not the best title to explain what I mean, English is not my first language.

I just saw pigeons in a train station, sitting on electric wires. Obviously it does not die since it does not have contact to the ground or anything else that could transmit the electricity.

But how does the electric current notice if there is a way through the pigeon (or anything else) or not? Since the pigeon is alive, the current apparently does not flow through it?

So how does the current know?

Yes, I’m not the best in physics lol

In: Physics

Answer 1

The same way water knows there’s a hole in a bucket. If that wire wasn’t insulated anything that conducts will get shocked no matter what side of the wire it’s on.