I have used drinking birds as Christmas tree ornaments, clocks, wall decorations and most any purpose I can think of. They are simple "heat engines" normally used in a "dunk the beak in water, head cools by evaporation, bird bobs, cycle repeats." Heating the bird's rear end accomplishes the same thing, but in a more controlled fashion.

Wire a 12 ohm, 3 watt resistor into place just below the bulb at the bottom of the bird. Apply five volts dc and--after about a minute of warm up time--the bird will bob.