The bobbing bird that drinks water is a popular novelty toy that demonstrates a scientific principle in an engaging way. It is officially known as a drinking bird or dipping bird, and it became popular in the 1940s.
How Does the Drinking Bird Work?
The drinking bird is an example of a heat engine that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy. It has a glass bulb body that is partially filled with a colored liquid, usually methylene chloride. Inside the bulb there are two tubes – one tube extends into the liquid while the other has a beak-like open end.
When the bird is placed upright with its beak in a glass of water, the liquid in the bulb evaporates and expands due to body heat from your hand. As the liquid evaporates, it causes pressure to build up in the bulb, forcing the liquid up into the tube that extends into the body. This transfers the center of mass upwards and causes the bird to become top-heavy and tip forward.
As the bird tips forward, the beak makes contact with the water, which cools and condenses the vapor inside the bulb back into a liquid. This shifts the center of mass back towards the bottom, causing the bird to right itself back into an upright position. The evaporation and condensation cycle then repeats, creating a continuous bobbing or “drinking” motion.
Key Parts of the Drinking Bird
The main parts of a drinking bird toy include:
- Glass bulb body – partially filled with colored liquid
- Upper and lower tubes – allows liquid to move up and down
- Beak – makes contact with water during tipping action
- Counterweight – usually located in the bird’s head to stabilize it
- pivot – allows the bird to tip back and forth
The glass bulb and liquid are critical components. The liquid is typically methylene chloride, which has a very low boiling point. This allows it to evaporate at room temperature. Evaporation occurs through the upper “beak” tube, while condensation occurs in the lower tube immersed in the liquid.
Benefits of the Drinking Bird Toy
Some key benefits of the drinking bird toy include:
- Demonstrates thermodynamics – Provides a hands-on way to see concepts like evaporation, condensation, vapor pressure, centers of mass in action.
- Engaging display piece – The continuous motion and bright colors are visually engaging, making it an interesting desk or shelf accessory.
- Educational toy – Often used in science classrooms to explain heat engines and phase changes.
- Conversation starter – The curious motion attracts attention and interest, making it a good conversation piece.
- Inexpensive – Drinking bird toys are very affordable, typically $10 or less from novelty and toy stores.
How to Use the Drinking Bird
Using a drinking bird toy is quite simple:
- Set the bird upright on a flat, level surface
- Fill a small glass with water (room temperature is ideal)
- Place the glass in front of the bird so the beak is submerged in the water
- Wet the “head” or capillary tube with a drop of water
- Wait for the bird to begin bobbing up and down, “drinking” from the glass
The bird should start bobbing within a minute or two once positioned in water. The speed and duration it runs for depends on environmental factors like water temperature and air humidity.
A few tips for optimal operation:
- Avoid extreme cold or hot water
- Top up the water level as needed
- Periodically re-wet the head to maximize evaporation
- Take the bird out of water when not in use
Troubleshooting Issues
Some common troubleshooting issues and solutions include:
Issue | Solution |
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Not bobbing or moving |
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Bobbing is erratic |
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Not lasting long |
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History of the Drinking Bird
The drinking bird has an interesting history. It was invented in 1945 by Miles V. Sullivan, an American inventor and manufacturer. Sullivan’s company, H. Fishlove & Co., produced and marketed the original drinking birds as novelties.
The toy became immensely popular after debuting in the 1946 Christmas season catalog from major retailer Sears & Roebuck. The catalog referred to it as a “glass dunking bird novelty.” Millions were sold during the 1940s and 50s.
Over the years, various improvements and modifications have been made to the drinking bird design. The liquid was originally water, which limited operation time. Organic liquids like methylene chloride allowed longer operation. The shape and materials of the bird have also been updated from the original glass and ceramic versions.
Drinking birds remain a staple science toy for kids today. They are produced by brands like Haktoys and DesignWright and remain effective educational aids explaining scientific concepts like thermodynamics.
Conclusion
The drinking bird is a captivating novelty toy that demonstrates heat transfer and phase changes. The bird’s perpetual motion comes from evaporation and condensation of liquid sealed inside a glass chamber. Tipping forward causes the beak to “drink” from an external water source.
This thermodynamic process will repeat continuously, powered only by the warmth from your hand holding the bird upright. Drinking birds have been popular educational science toys and desk accessories for over 75 years due to their intriguing and engaging motion.