Decorative Birdbaths

Birdbaths offer another way to draw birds to your yard and we have many beautiful birdbaths. An easily available source of fresh clean water is very important, especially in summer when water can be difficult to find. Many birds are now use to finding birdbaths a wonderful place to get a drink of water and also to splash around. Many common backyard birds will visit a birdbath such as robins, finches, sparrows and chickadees. Other less common birds such as doves and quail might visit more readily if the bath is placed at ground level where they normally find water.

A pedestal birdbath has some special advantages. It elevates the birds for easier viewing and also adds charm to the yard. Bathing birds are great entertainment as they splash around and ruffle their feathers. When really wet, they usually don't go far to dry off in the sun. To add birdbaths at ground level, there are many options. Certainly a standard birdbath basin will be very nice, but a large, shallow clay  saucer is also ideal. Plastic plant saucers are another choice, although they can be slippery and don't last as long.

Birdbaths are popular all year long as birds learn you have an always dependable water source. Even migrating birds might notice other birds at your birdbath and stop for a visit. Winter is also a popular time for birdbaths in cold areas. When all natural water sources turn to solid ice, your open water will draw lots of visitors. In these climates, it is well worth buying a de-icer to be sure your birdbath doesn't freeze. Of course, keeping it clean and filled with fresh water is a must. We recommend the Whisker brush which does an excellent job of cleaning a bird bath. It is shown here and in Accessories.

Bird Bath Basics

Birds need plenty of water daily for feather care as well as to drink. Therefore, a bird bath is a great way to attract birds. During very dry weather or when most water sources are frozen, water can become more important than food. Certainly a good choice is a pedestal heated bird bath for it is useful all year long in the coldest areas and being off the ground keeps birds out of reach of cats. However, there are many inexpensive bird baths that work well and also many common containers that can be used as a bird bath. The important feature necessary is a shallow bowl with a rough bottom so birds can stand securely. Also, birds prefer bird baths with sloping sides. It only needs to hold about an inch of water in order to be a draw for finches, chickadees, robins, house sparrows and jays. A bird bath on the ground will attract quail, mourning doves and other ground feeders. It is also a good idea to place bird baths near the safety of cover such as shrubs and trees for after bathing, birds cannot fly very well until they have a chance to preen their feathers.

Almost all birds wet their feathers on a regular basis as part of their ritual of feather maintenance. That is why it is so important to have bird baths in the yard. The experts seem to agree that birds don't bathe to get clean as humans do, but it is more for oiling the feathers and preening. Each type of bird has it's own characteristic way of bathing. Songbirds generally prefer to stand in shallow water which makes bird baths the perfect solution. While standing in the bird bath, they dip their heads and flip water onto their backs, then shake their bills in the water while rapidly fluttering their wings which wets the flight feathers. The tail is also immersed and fluttered. By now the bird is completely wet and water has been flying all around. At this point, a good shake gets rid of all the excess water. It is great entertainment to watch. After a few of these baths, it is highly likely that the bird bath will need refulling. At this point, the bird will move to a nearby tree, shrub or railing to complete the process. This is when they go through the preening ritual which eliminates the rest of the water, arranges the feathers and spreads the preen oil over the plumage.

Birds are easily attracted to fresh clean water. During most of the year, maintaining a bird bath is easy. Empty the birdbath daily, remove any debris, scrub if necessary with a stiff brush and refill. In areas with freezing winter temperatures, it is a good idea to use a heater specifically designed for bird baths. They are safe for the birds and use very little electricity. Open water during winter is unusual in many areas, so a wide variety of birds will gather to drink from an ice-free bird bath. De-icers feature a built-in thermostat. Even on the coldest days, they will keep drinking water within the optimal drinking range for wild birds. A stainless steel guard is provided to shield wildlife from contacting the heating element. De-icers only come on when the temperature drops below 35 degrees so over a winter, they are very inexpensive to run and offer a necessary oasis of open water to local birds. The local birds will really appreciate the constant source of water. Never add antifreeze or anything else to keep the water from freezing. These chemicals are toxic and will certainly kill any birds who drink it.

Attracting Birds To A New Birdbath

When a new birdbath is added to the yard, it can take a while for birds to find it. There are a couple of things to do to help the local birds find the bird bath faster. If it is placed very near a busy bird feeder, chances are that birds will find it quickly. Using pedestal style birdbaths is also helpful for they are easier to spot. As the birds get use to using this new bird bath, it can be moved a ways away and they will still search it out.

The most reliable way to attract birds to birdbaths is to add dripping water. A small cirulating pump will really draw birds to the birdbath. An easier way to add dripping water is to hang a bucket with a few small holes in it above the birdbath. Keep this bucket full of water and watch the drip. A slow drip-drip-drip will really draw the birds. This is a hard technique to continue for it means constantly remembering to fill the bucket with water, but is a great technique for drawing birds to a new birdbath. Also, it is good to do this during periods of migration to see how many uncommon visitors will be drawn to the birdbath.

Birdbaths In The Spring

During the spring months, birdbaths will be visited by both resident birds and many of the migratory birds that are simply passing through. Many birds who exclusively eat insects won't stop at bird feeders, but they just might stop at the birdbaths. During the height of spring migration, birds can move in and out of any area very rapidly so the visitors to any yard will change rapidly and offer delightful sightings. During this time, it is especially important to have a variety of birdbaths just as it is important to have bird feeders at different levels. If possible, have a pedestal birdbath near trees and saucer type birdbaths on the ground just as we have hanging bird feeders, low platform feeders and large hopper bird feeders.