Bird in the Wire

Did you know that conductors for electrical transmission and distribution wires are codenamed after birds?


The size and functionally of all of the connectors, supports and specialties depend on the specific size of the conductor. Common strandings are manufactured in slightly different conductor combinations so having absolute descriptors—the bird names—reduces the number of mistakes made when ordering. For example, instead of ordering a 1590 ACSR which comes in a 45/7 and a 54/19 stranding, we order a Lapwing.

A transmission engineer would look at the Bird on a Wire masthead and say, “Look, there’s a Red-tailed Hawk between a couple of Merlins.”

Another fun fact: If a conductor is not clamped or terminated properly, the outer wires open up spirally away from the central radius; this is commonly called birdcaging.