Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Mobile Bird Bath

For those who truly love their avian friends.
 
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I searched all over the Bakery, in every category I could think of, and on Google with a variety of phrases and haven't seen this idea anywhere. I am really surprised, but here goes:

This invention is dedicated to and intended for the truly avid bird lovers out there. It consists of two parts that are, to my knowledge, unique. Both are modifications for a vehicle. The first is a shallow bird bath on the roof. Ideally, it would be about 2-3 inches deep, maybe 4-5 or deeper for SUVs and vans. It would have a retractable hard cover, like those used on many swimming pools. Whenever you park, the cover opens and birds flock to it.

The second part, upon searching online, is Baked it turns out, but I think it's necessary to prevent a problem inherent with attracting birds to a vehicle. It's a teflon coating for the vehicle's body panels. I chose teflon because of its nonstick properties and durability, which makes it ideal for easy removal of bird droppings. If a gecko's incredibly strong adhesive can't cling to it, and according to Wikipedia it's the only known surface that they can't cling to, bird droppings ought to be easy to remove. Simply keep a plastic spatula in your side door pocket, and scrape the droppings off, then wipe it off on some grass or a napkin.

After searching online, there seems to be an opinion held by some folks that teflon coating on a car is a cheap sales gimmick that doesn't offer any benefits over clearcoat. Based on Wikipedia's article, I think it can be assumed that teflon has greater nonstick properties than clearcoat, but I don't know enough about teflon or car finishes to argue that point one way or the other, so I won't bother. The teflon coating is optional with the installation of any rooftop birdbath, so if you don't like the teflon coating you don't have to get it, so please don't fishbone based on that.

21 Quest, Apr 29 2009

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       Excellent idea... and when you park at night, you can pump beer into the bath and it will fill up with snails, making for a morning snack for the hungry birds. Other reservoirs connected to it can contain seeds, bread crumbs etc. Now all you need is to have nesting sites on the car aerials and the birds will be in mobile heaven.
xenzag, Apr 30 2009
  

       It could have a wind deflector as well, so birds could use it when you're travelling at high speed.
hippo, Apr 30 2009
  

       This idea would probably discriminate against penguins.
Aristotle, Apr 30 2009
  

       //If a gecko's incredibly strong adhesive can't cling to it, and according to Wikipedia it's the only known surface that they can't cling to//
Some research scientists get all the good gigs.
coprocephalous, Apr 30 2009
  

       Bizarrely, the seagulls in Brighton have already baked some of xenzag's annotation to this idea.

I've been much amused recently to witness them dragging refuse bags up onto car rooftops before they tear them (the bags, not the cars) open and spread the contents about. Presumably this has the double advantage of providing a nice flat surface for them to properly survey their stolen treasures before tucking in and also gives them a decent perch upon which they can dine in relative safety.

//according to Wikipedia it's the only known surface that they can't cling to//

Pedant: Only known 'solid' surface. (typo amended, thank you copro).
DrBob, Apr 30 2009
  

       //Pedant: Only know 'solid' surface//
Uber pedant: "known"
coprocephalous, Apr 30 2009
  

       //Uber pedant: "known"//
I think you mean "Meta pedant".
hippo, Apr 30 2009
  

       sp: Über.
DrBob, Apr 30 2009
  

       I do believe the two little dots above a letter are dropped when said letter is a capital.
zeno, Apr 30 2009
  
      
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