Attract Wild Birds with a Bird Bath

Birds love bird baths and watching a crowded bird bath brings quality entertainment. Just about any water feature functions as a bird bath, from something as small as a garbage can lid to a large pond. Ambitious bird enthusiasts with sufficient space could build a pond that might attract waterfowl such as geese or herons. However, most folks will have less space and more modest goals.

A modest-sized bird bath will attract a wide variety of songbirds, especially if a feeder is also present. Common bird bath visitors include sparrows, warblers, hummingbirds, jays, robins and others. My bird bath becomes crowded with Cedar Waxwings, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, and House Sparrows. Recently I witnessed at least seven Cedar Waxwings trying to bathe simultaneously. It’s worth stopping to watch when the Anna’s Hummingbirds visit the birdbath. Unlike most of the birdbath visitors, the Anna’s Hummingbirds do not stand in the water, instead they bathe themselves by flying across the water’s surface.

Just about any type of shallow water feature attracts birds. Folks with lots of space and large budgets could build ponds for waterfowl or install expensive landscaping with recirculating ponds and streams. More modest alternatives include the traditional flat basin on a pedestal design. This design is effective but requires frequent refilling and cleaning, and does not include moving water, which birds seem to favor. An inexpensive version of this design can be constructed with a garbage can lid placed on the ground or on a pedestal. The bird bath at my house is a fountain with a recirculating pump. This model features a remote control so it can be turned on from inside the house. It requires manual refilling every 2-3 days, depending upon the weather. The manufacturer probably markets this model as a garden fountain, not as a bird bath, but the birds don’t seem to mind the oversight!