Balancing Wooden Hummingbird Sculpture

Set this wooden hummingbird moving and it keeps going far longer than you expect. The bird is cut from wood and mounted on a slim arm that pivots on a single point, counterweighted so that a light push sends it rocking in a slow, even arc. It is the sort of object that gets touched every time somebody walks past a desk, and the motion is the whole point of it rather than a novelty bolted on afterwards.

Assembled it measures 30 centimetres across, 23 high and 5 deep, and weighs 400 grams, so it needs a surface it can sit on squarely rather than a narrow ledge. The grain runs through the wings and tail, which means no two pieces are marked quite alike. It suits a bookshelf, a wide desk or a hall table, anywhere it will be seen in profile and anywhere there is room for the arc to swing without catching on anything.

Allow clear space on all sides so the moving arm cannot strike a wall, a lamp or a glass. The pivot and the swinging arm can pinch small fingers, and this is a decorative sculpture rather than a toy, so keep it out of reach of young children and site it where a pet cannot knock it from a height. Wipe it with a dry cloth only, wood should not be soaked, and keep it away from radiators and damp.

• Material: wood
• Dimensions: 30 x 23 x 5 cm
• Weight: 400 g
• Movement: counterweighted pivot, hand-started
• Care: wipe with a dry cloth