How can I build a water feature to attract more birds?

Tlclifford
by Tlclifford



  7 answers
  • Jlnatty Jlnatty on Mar 15, 2019

    A simple bird bath that you keep clean and filled with fresh water will attract birds. The location of the bath is more important to attracting birds than the style of bird bath. Birds don't like to be out in the wide open with no shelter nearby to flee to if a hawk happens to fly over or people come into range. Situate your bird bath within a few feet of a tree or some bushy shrubs that will give birds cover. Birds also like to use baths at different times of the day. In the morning for instance, where I get southern exposure on my bird bath for about half the daylight hours in summer, the birds come during the earlier morning hours and after the yard gets shadier in the afternoon. I have a concrete bath that is outside all year, even in 40 below zero F temperatures and it's been indestructible for almost 30 years now. I also have a ceramic birdbath that I have to store inside during the winter situated in a different area of the yard but near a tall arborvitae where some birds will roost at night. So I have birds visiting from the earliest morning hours all the way to dark.

  • Lizbeth Lizbeth on Mar 15, 2019

    I agree birds do use ordinary birdbaths. If you have mosquitos you probably should use Mosquito Dunks (safe for birds and other animals) unless you plan to dump and refill the bath every few days (including in rainy weather)

  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on Mar 15, 2019

    Just put a fountain in or a pond that will do it

    • Em Em on Mar 16, 2019

      JUST put in a pond. Seriously? A fountain also requires electricity and birds can't bathe in most of them.

  • Vicki Vicki on Mar 16, 2019

    buy 3 large clay pots 3 different sizes, I large clay drip tray. paint with outdoor paint and seal with poly. stack pots upside down on top of each other, drip tray on top. instant birdbath!

  • Em Em on Mar 16, 2019

    I agree with the birdbath idea. Shops like Tuesday Morning sell them for much cheaper than the big box stores. All good advice from Jlnatty on proximity to a tree to escape to, and cleaning is a must. It will get algae in a few days. Also the mosquito dunks come in tiny bb sized tablets you can get at Amazon.com or Tractor Supply. You just need a couple pieces to kill mosquito larvae. I keep my birdbath next to the pine tree and beside the fence for the birds security from predators, like cats and hawks.

    • Lizbeth Lizbeth on Mar 17, 2019

      I didn't know about the smaller Mosquito Dunks. Good to know. I usually just break up a full donut-sized one and use about 1/12 of it at a time. But pellets would be easier.

  • Brenda Meairs Brenda Meairs on Mar 16, 2019

    Get a seed barrel with a lid from Tractor Supply or Orshelins. Bury the bucket with 12" or less sticking up from the ground. Get a small, old sink from Restore or a garage sale. Cut a hole in the lid so the sink rests in it. Like you would when installing on a countertop. Get a water pump like you would get for a fish pond. Harbor Freight has them cheap. Take some metal pipes that will fit in the faucet hole with a U pipe and make a faucet. Sink the pump in the barrel, run the hose from the pump thru the pipe. Fill the barrel with water, put the lid and sink on the barrel and plug in. You will have a constant running birdbath sink that can be left on all year unless it is bitter cold outside. The lid prevents critters from falling in the barrel. Decorate with landscape rocks. The oic of mine isn't turned on, but you get the idea.

  • Anita Fix Anita Fix on Mar 16, 2019

    buy a tiny water pump , birds like moving water. fill a pot, tub, big bowl, anything that holds water with big rocks, they only like shallow water, put pump in water, make sure water will not shoot out of bowl. I bury an outdoor extension cord to hide the plug if it will be out in the yard. it doesn't have to be bury real deep just deep enough so the lawn mower doesn't hit it. I have used old sinks and sunk them in the ground, make sure you use a good plug so water holds. I have dug a small pond lined with black sturdy plastic, I have used an old bath tub. Right now I just used a urn shaped planter and they love it. They say they like it to be out in the open, not under bushes because they need to watch for predators. What ever you use clean it out once in a while. The sound of moving water will bring the most birds.