- Just wet the bird’s head with water and he dips to take a drink
- A favorite to teach about equalizing pressure and evaporation
- Fun for a science class, or even your garden
SKU: WDBD-400
Product Description
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.
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!
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Steve Spangler Science
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marilyn russell –
I am 85 years old. We had a drinking bird (purchased by my father who loved “novelty stores”), in our house when I was a child–it was fascinating, especially in the beginning. It was not plastic, but it was reliably thirsty.
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joshlittrell –
Marilyn, thank you for the comments on the Drinking Bird. We still have these available for purchase on our website – https://www.stevespanglerscience.com
Have a great week.
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