Q: why, when birds sit on transmission lines or current wires doesn't get shock?

A:Its true that if birds touch the single one line (phase or neutral) they don't get electrical shock... if birds touch 2 lines than the circuit is closed and they get electrical shock.. so if a human touch single one line(phase) then he doesn't get shock if he is in the air (not touching - standing on the ground if he is standing on the ground then touching the line (phase) he will get a shock because the ground on what we standing is like line (ground bed - like neutral)। and in the most of electric lines the neutral is grounded... so that means that human who touch the line closes the circuit between phase and neutral.