A bird bath is a simple but effective way of attracting birds to your garden who need water for bathing, drinking, and cooling off.
However, you may have heard various things about bird baths that have put you off from providing one. Some of these could even lead to an unhealthy or dangerous environment for your garden birds.
We’ve looked at some of the most common misconceptions about bird baths and attempted to dispel them.
Truth: Birds not only need clean water for drinking but also for bathing, keeping cool, and preening. Many birds who are not interested in the food you put out for them, such as those species that prefer to forage for natural food in trees and on the ground, will still visit gardens that provide water.
Even if you only have a few birds using your bird bath, you will be doing your bit to help the local population of birds, particularly in the summer and winter when natural sources of water may be scarce.
And over time a few birds can turn into a sizeable flock, as more and more species find out about your bird bath, so keep it topped up and clean to ensure it’s as attractive as possible.
Truth: Bird baths come in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t even need to buy one if you’re low on budget. You could use an upturned dustbin lid, a large shallow dish, or a circular plant tray.
You don’t need any specialist equipment to clean a bird bath; as long as you keep on top of things by brushing away any debris and dirt and wiping it with a damp cloth, then little maintenance will be required.
Of course, you can choose to buy a more expensive stone or ornate bird bath if it fits within your budget. Over time, this may work out to be more economical as more durable bird baths will last for longer and won’t get damaged in freezing temperatures or extreme heat.
Some bird baths come with a fountain or built-in heater, but these tend to run off solar power which is a free source of energy.
Truth: When the air temperature is below freezing birds will not use a bird bath to bathe in even if the water in the bath is warm. However, they still require drinking water which a heated bird bath will provide. Even if their feathers get damp, birds are well insulated and have adapted to survive cold weather. You can help by providing high energy bird food in your garden such as fat balls, so they don’t waste energy keeping warm.
If you don’t want to use a heated bird bath, then floating a tennis ball on the surface of the water can keep it moving and help prevent it from freezing over.
Truth: The ideal depth of a bird bath is 2-8 cm. Any deeper and it will be too awkward for birds to get into and may even put them at risk of drowning.
A bird bath with sloping sides and some perches is ideal as birds of different sizes will be able to use it. Make sure the surface of your bird bath isn’t too smooth as birds won’t have anything to grip onto and may slip and fall into the water.
If you think your bird bath is too deep or slippery for birds to use, place some rocks or pebbles at the bottom of the bath and ensure some protrude over the surface of the water to give them a safe spot to drink from.
Truth: Unlike puddles, the water in a bird bath can become stagnant and harbour bacteria and parasites that can cause avian diseases, so it is important that you change the water and clean your bird bath regularly.
A fountain, dripper, or mister will move the water about and help prevent it from becoming stagnant. Birds may also be able to find your bird bath more easily as the sound of splashing water will attract them.
Truth: If you clean your bird bath regularly by removing leaves, droppings, and old water, then looking after a bird bath doesn’t involve a lot of work.
Once or twice a year you will probably need to give your bird bath a more thorough clean by scrubbing it in hot, soapy water, and check it over for cracks or rough edges that may harm birds.
To make cleaning your bird bath even easier you can add special bird-safe chemicals to the water to keep it hygienic. Make sure you buy these from a reputable supplier and never add bleach or other harmful cleaning products to the water.
One Response
Hi
I live in Australia. It is very dry where we live. We have two birdbaths. Every day we have many many parrots and other birds literally queuing up.
We have two terracotta ones that are very hard to clean. They get grimy due to constant use. Would a glazed one from the hardware be safe?