Bird Baths

Birdbaths are an excellent way to add style to your garden and attract beautiful birds to your outdoors. Birdbaths attract birds because they need water to drink, cool off during hot weather, and clean their feathers. Unlike traditional bird feeders, birdbaths attract more kinds of birds.

Birds not only add natural beauty to your garden but also eat seeds, weeds, and harmful insects. You can create a tranquil oasis in your backyard with a birdbath made from glass, metal, resin, or concrete.

It is essential to keep your birdbath in a shaded area so that the water remains cool. Ensure that you do not overfill the bowl so that your feathered friends can have enough space to perch and splash around.

The sound of water also attracts birds, so adding a small waterfall will attract more birds, and the circulating water will keep the water fresher for longer. You should also clean out the birdbath water and bowl regularly to eliminate debris and algae.

Birdbath styles

There are different styles of bird baths to suit your garden and style. The most common kind of birdbaths is the pedestal-style baths. You can also choose hanging birdbaths, tiered birdbaths, or deck-mounted birdbaths. Installing ground-level bird baths is a great way to attract ground-feeding birds like robins, quail, and sparrows.

It would be best to place fountain birdbaths near a power source. Solar-powered bird baths are a more convenient self-contained option that only needs access to direct sunlight.

Heated birdbaths will provide a source of water for the birds through all the seasons, even in winter.

Tips to attract birds to your birdbath

1. Birds are attracted to the sight and sound of moving water. You can attract more birds using dripping water from fountains, sprayers, or a commercial dripper. Solar fountains are a great choice because they are self-sufficient and do not require a power source.
2. Keeping your bird bath warm and ice-free is essential to attracting birds all year round. You can provide fresh water in the bowl daily or use heaters with circuits to prevent shocks. You should also avoid using antifreeze since it can be toxic or glycerin which saturates the birds’ feathers and could cause hypothermia.
3. Choose the best location for your birdbath. Birds might prefer ground baths, but this exposes them to predators like cats. It would be best if you kept birdbaths a safe distance from bushes. A shaded place will keep the water cool for the birds to enjoy.
4. Keep your birdbath and water clean. Birds use the water for drinking, cleaning themselves, and cooling off. Feathers, dirt, and droppings from bathing birds will leave the water unsanitary and unsafe to drink. Dirty stagnant water also encourages the growth of algae and the breeding of mosquitoes. It would help if you cleaned out your birdbath regularly with a brush to clean and drain the water as often as possible.
5. Plant bird-friendly plants in your yard. You should include plants that birds love like orange berries, sunflowers, marigold, and cranberry bush in your landscape. Choose plants that provide berries, seeds, and shelter to birds to keep them coming back to your yard.
6. Choose a reasonable bath depth and water level. Birds love to waddle and splash in the cool water, and a deep bowl will make them feel vulnerable. It would be best to choose a shallow bowl with a maximum depth of two inches in the middle. Ensure that the water is not overflowing to allow room for the birds to perch on.

Citations

https://www.worldbirds.org/how-to-attract-birds-to-bird-bath/#

https://www.hayneedle.com/outdoor/bird-baths_list_169082