Large Balancing Bird

Kids are always amazed when they see this bird balance on anything - a finger, even a nose! But it doesn't defy gravity - it takes advantage of it. Thanks to two well-placed weights at the end of its wings, its center of mass is located below the tip of its beak, creating a stable equilibrium. Show students how deceiving an object's center of mass can be. Spin it on the end of your finger to demonstrate rotational motion, or discuss movement in two systems by moving your hand through the air to add translational motion. Includes stand! NOTE: When balancing, wings may or may not be level. Colors may vary.