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Drinking Bird Just wet the bird's head with water and he dips to take a drink.
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Drinking Bird


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Recommended Ages

8 years & up with adult supervision

1 2 3 4 5

Rating:3/5 (3 Reviews)

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$4.95

Drinking Bird
Item #: WDBD-400 In Stock

Just wet the bird's head with water and he dips to take a drink! Keep feeding him and he'll give you hours of science fun! This crowd-pleasing toy has been around in different forms for over 50 years! The Drinking Bird is featured in T.O.Y.S. science curriculum and is a favorite with kids of all ages. Recommended for children ages 8 and up.

What's included?

  • Drinking Bird

How does it work?

The bird consists of two glass bulbs connected by a glass tube. This glass tube dips down into a blue liquid (methylene chloride), in the body of the bird. The head is topped with a cool felt hat, which easily absorbs water. In an amazing scientific process involving evaporation and changes in air pressure, the center of gravity changes in the bird and the head becomes heavier than the body, causing the bird to bow. When the pressures equalizes again, the bird stands up, ready for another dip. If you position your bird so the bird drinks water every time it bows, the process goes on forever!

What does it teach?

The Drinking Bird is a great example of how changing air pressure can cause a chain reaction! As the water on the head evaporates, it keeps the head cooler than the blue fluid in the body. This causes a vapor to condense in the head, which then evaporates and shrinks, making the air pressure lower in the head than in the body. The lower pressure causes the liquid to rise up the tube, tipping the balance. Great fun for science class experiments, or even in your garden!

Product FAQ

What does this teach? 
The Drinking Bird is a great example of how changing air pressure can cause a chain reaction! As the water on the head evaporates, it keeps the head cooler than the blue fluid in the body. This causes a vapor to condense in the head, which then evaporates and shrinks, making the air pressure lower in the head than in the body. The lower pressure causes the liquid to rise up the tube, tipping the balance.

Warning - Choking Hazard

Really fun Eductional tool

Ms. Helm    -  March 3, 2010

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 5/5 stars


I'm a science teacher who has taught grades 7 through 12. Everyone I show this to loves it! It's pretty simple, but the processes involved make it a really nice way to show the tranfer of energy! I give them away as prizes!

Fun to Watch. Tickled My Nostalgia Nerve.

Chris    -  February 9, 2010

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 5/5 stars


I remembered having one of these when I was a kid back in the early 80's. Forgot all about it until I saw it on the internet by chance. Bought one and set it up on my kitchen counter. It has been drinking continuously now for 5 days. I am going to see If I can get it to drink for a year. Very fun to watch and easy to set up. If you have any cats, I would exercise extreme caution with where you put this.

Could never make it work

Jenny Brown Yukon, OK   -  November 3, 2009

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 1/5 stars


Several of us worked and worked to try to get this to work the way it says it should on the box, but we never did succeed. I bought it to give away as a prize because it was inexpensive, but unfortunately it was also cheap. This is probably the only Steve Spangler product that isn't worth buying.

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