Construction and Materials
A drinking bird consists of two glass bulbs joined by a glass tube (the bird's neck). The tube extends nearly all the way into the bottom bulb, and attaches to the top bulb but does not extend into it. The space inside the bird contains a fluid, usually colored. The fluid is typically dichloromethane, also known as methylene chloride. Formerly trichloromonofluoromethane was used.
Air is removed from the apparatus during manufacture, so the space inside the body is filled by vapor evaporated from the fluid. The upper bulb has a "beak" attached which, along with the head, is covered in a felt-like material. The bird is typically decorated with paper eyes, a plastic top hat, and one or more tail feathers. The whole setup pivots on an adjustable crosspiece attached to the neck.
Despite the drinking bird's appearance and classification as a toy, some safety considerations apply. Early models were often filled with highly flammable substances. The fluid in later versions is nonflammable. Dichloromethane can irritate the skin on contact and the lungs if inhaled; it is a mutagen and teratogen, and potentially a carcinogen. The intact toy is leakproof and completely safe, but if broken hazardous dichloromethane is released. Dichloromethane evaporates quickly; good ventilation after a spill will dilute and disperse the vapor.
Read more about this topic: Drinking Bird
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