Attracting Birds With Water

One sure way to attract birds to your yard is to provide water.  Providing a place for birds to drink and to bathe can be as simple or as complex as you like.

When I was growing up my grandparents lived on a farm.  My grandmother loved gardening and watching the birds.  There were bird feeders, birdhouses and a puddle.  Yes, she had a depression on the side of their gravel driveway and during the summer she made sure that it was always a puddle.  Grandma would either stand there and fill the puddle with the hose or sometimes just lay the hose down at the edge barely dripping any water.  The birds loved it, finches, robins, and even bluebirds. Unfortunately I don’t have a puddle but I do have four birdbaths.

There are a few things to keep in mind when providing water for birds and other wildlife.

Depth:When choosing a container keep in mind that little birds need shallow water which is why most commercial bird baths taper shallow on the edges to deep in the middle.  Larger birds enjoy bathing in the deeper water, making quite a scene splashing water everywhere.  I have two bird baths that are only shallow.  I was surprised one day to look out and see about fifteen sparrows lined up around the edge. They were taking turns going in the middle and bathing then returning to the edge.  It reminded me of the city swimming pool!

Sound: Birds are attracted to the sound of moving water.  I was interested to find that there are a number of commercial products to attract birds to your bird bath.  One device keeps the water in the bird bath moving constantly, which not only attracts the birds but prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.  Other products provide a dripping action and some are misters.  You can accomplish the same effect by hanging a bucket with hole in the bottom over your bird bath, placing that leaky hose in an appropriate place or just running the sprinkler.

Location:  A bird bath should be placed away from shrubbery but not far from trees.  The birds need to be able to observe predators as they approach, but have a place to sit and preen.  I have a shallow basin that sits on rock in the center of my garden.  Not only do the little birds love it, but I also see squirrels and rabbits drink from it.

Cleaning:  When purchasing a bird bath take in consideration how easily it can be cleaned.  It is important to keep the water in your yard fresh and bird bath free from algae and mosquito larvae. The water should be changed or at least hose off the top layer every other day.  A good old fashioned scrub brush works wonders when cleaning and it only takes a minute or two to have them clean and clear.

Winter: Believe it or not you can provide water for the birds all winter long.  Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology says that providing water in the winter for birds is not necessary for their survival. But if you provide water you will attract more birds to your yard for viewing.  There are electrical self heated bird baths, also heater units to submerse in your own bird bath.  Choosing a dark colored basin and placing it a sunny location might also work.  There are a few cautions when using heated units.  Be sure to use a grounded preferably GFI electrical outlet to prevent electrical shock.  A unit that automatically shuts off if the water evaporates is important.  Cornell Labs also strongly recommends putting a grid of branches over the top of the bird bath, allowing the birds to drink but keeping them from bathing which could be dangerous.

Keep in mind that if you use a ceramic basin and you do not heat the water it is probable that it will freeze and crack the basin. (Spoken from experience!)

Providing water for birds and animals can be simple and inexpensive while bringing another dimension to your backyard entertainment.