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What Is a Whirlygig?

Although there is no clear record of when the first whirligig appeared, the devices were considered to be a child's spinning toy for many years. Store displays were full of the colorful plastic or foil devices. Attached to a thin, flexible, plastic rod, children would pull their arms back and forth and watch the whirligig spin as the air moved through it. Today whirligigs have more uses and come in a variety of designs.

What is a Whirligig?
- A whirligig is a device similar to a pinwheel that is usually hand held and spun by the wind. The whirligig spins on its pivot in a circular motion as air moves through it.
History
- Whirligigs and other wind devices evolved from the wind and weather vanes of the past.
  
  Weather vanes and whirligigs evolved from the simple and practical wind vanes that were used in ancient times. Wind indicators were important to farmers, sailors and anyone else dependent on the weather in their daily pursuits. Whirligigs are mentioned in early colonial records for their function as a wind determining instrument.
Whirligigs in Green Technology
- Modern whirligigs and windmills are still in development as a source of renewable energy.
  
  There has been a growing focus on renewable energy and finding ways to harness the wind to generate unlimited energy. Wind turbines use the same dynamics and a design similar to whirligigs and windmills, both of which are used to harness wind power. There are several wind farms across the United States that are utilizing windmill and whirligig-type devices and technologies to generate electricity.
Whirligig Lawn Ornaments
- Yard and garden whirligigs come in a variety of designs and colors.
  
  Whirligigs add kinetic motion to a yard or garden and they come in an endless array of designs, shapes, and colors. Some are whimsical, comical, or just decorative folk art. Some gardeners believe that whirligigs act similar to a scarecrow, keeping birds and other pests out of the garden.
Types of Whirligigs
- There are both non-mechanical and mechanical whirligigs. Non-mechanical whirligigs have wings, blades or flipper-type appendages that catch the wind and spin, while the mechanical whirligigs have a fan or propeller-type mechanism that sets the whirligig into full motion-action.

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