Drinking Bird

How does it work?

The drinking bird works by evaporation of the water the bird drinks. After the bird drinks the water, the water begins to evaporate, then the temperature of the glass lowers, causing the dichloromethane in the head to condense, causing pressure in your bird's head, the higher pressure in your bird's body causes the liquid to go back up the neck of the bird, and then tips over. After the bird tips over the bottom end of the neck tube rises above the surface of the liquid, then vapor rises through this gap and moves liquid, liquid flows back to your bird's body, equalizing pressure, then the weight of the liquid in the body of your bird causes the bird to stand up straight again, and then air causes the liquid in the body to be heated to a temperature slightly higher than the bird's head.

Scientific Principle:

It is a great physics demonstration of heat and thermodynamics. Thermodynamics and the thermal properties of matter are inextricably linked to daily living. Most everyone has an innate sense of hot and cold, checks the temperature outdoors before deciding what to wear, knows that spilled water will eventually evaporate and not to expect a snow storm on a hot July day. We all understand that a cold drink will become warmer and a hot drink cooler if left sitting on the counter. On the other hand, we know that both hot and cold liquids retain their respective temperatures for quite some time when placed in a thermos bottle. These everyday experiences of hot and cold, evaporation and freezing, and the transfer of heat are the province of thermal physics.

This lugubrious little lorikeet dips his beak into a glass of water as evaporative cooling induces the rise of a volatile liquid from his tail toward his head. As he dunks, the liquid returns to his tail, the bird rises, and the process begins again.

Safety Information:

• This product is not a toy and is not intended for use by children under age 8. Contains Phthalates.

• Keep away from heat and flame.