If you are considering putting a birdbath in your yard then you have certainly already been thinking about where you are going to put it in your yard. If it’s your first, then you are wondering how to get birds to use a bird bath once you get it. According to  from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the main key to attracting birds to your bird bath is to simply keep your bird bath full of clean water.

HOW TO ATTRACT BIRDS TO A BIRD BATH

There are several things you can do to help attract birds to your bird bath. They can to play a big role in whether or not birds find your birdbath attractive. A few of these are:

1. KEEP IT IN THE SHADE

Birds are using your bird bath not only to clean themselves off but also to cool off, keeping it in the shade keeps the water cooler.

2. PUT SOME ROCKS IN THE BOTTOM

Keeping some rocks in the bottom gives the birds something to stand on in the water when they are bathing, and can add variety in the depth of the water.

3. MAKE SURE THE WATER IS THE RIGHT DEPTH

At the deepest part it should be no deeper than about 2 inches. To make the bath attractive to both smaller and larger birds, try to have a deeper section and a more shallow section. You can tilt your saucer or add rocks to one side to vary the depth. 

4. KEEP YOUR BIRD BATH CLEAN

A bird bath can become filthy pretty quickly with poop, dead bugs, and any other random things that make their way in. You need to routinely rinse off the bath and use soap if necessary. Fill with new water at least once a week, more often in the summer. 

5. KEEP IT LOWER TO THE GROUND

Most birds prefer a bird bath close to ground level like they would find naturally.

6. PICK THE RIGHT SIZE

A larger bird bath will attract more birds, but require more maintenance.

7. KEEP THE WATER FROM FREEZING

Investing in a good bird bath heater can keep your water temp regulated all year. Below are a couple of recommendations on Amazon.

8. ADD A FOUNTAIN

Birds like moving water and find it more tempting to visit. You can add a cool fountain but any water water pump that will add some motion will do. You can also search up fountain alternatives such as a dripper or water wiggler.

 

The best place to put your bird bath is in a shady or  partially-shady area of your yard. Also be sure that birds feel safe when coming in for a dip. In order to assure this, put it in a  spot that is near cover such as trees or bushes. This will help them feel safe from predators.

Keeping your bird bath in the shade will also help to keep the water cooler. Because birds want to cool off in your bird bath, you don’t want it to feel like a hot tub because it’s been in direct sunlight all day.

The best material for a bird bath

You are probably used to seeing the traditional concrete bird baths that you find at home and garden stores. These can work just fine and look great in a backyard, but there are better alternatives for a few reasons.

Concrete bird baths can crack if they freezeThey are not the easiest to cleanThey are often too deep

As I’ve touched on, birds prefer a bird bath low to the ground or even on ground level if possible. This is not always possible for different reasons and that’s understandable.

A heavy duty plastic birdbath is easy to clean and will not break if the water freezes. I will put in a vote for this , it is already heated and can screw or clamp right to your deck.

How deep SHOULD a bird bath be

Keep your bird bath shallow and low to the ground. Think about a shallow bowl, which is what your standard concrete bird bath is. You will want it to be about .5 to 1 inch around the edge sloping down to about 2 inches or so max in the middle. Also consider adding some rocks or sand to the bottom in the middle to give the birds something to stand on as they are cleaning themselves.