Most active gardeners enjoy becoming familiar with the species and habits of birds that visit their yards and gardens. Many have bird feeders, and even more have bird baths. Even people not particularly interested in birds recognize how perfect bird baths look in the garden, or even as a lawn ornament. Not only is there a wide range of commercial bird baths for sale, but anyone can make a bird bath from reused, repurposed, or recycled items.
Commercial bird baths are usually made from concrete, metal, plastic, or ceramic. Some are shiny and colorful, while others look more natural and blend into the natural surroundings.
Homemade bird baths can be anything that holds water. It can stand tall on a pedestal or sit unobtrusively on the ground. Ground huggers might be a large rock with a depression on one side, a shallow bowl or saucer, or a sealed hypertufa trough. Pedestals are anything stable enough to hold the water container perched on top.
Moving water attracts birds more than still water. Some baths come with a built-in fountain. You can also find bubblers and drips to add to an existing structure. The choices include electrical or solar-powered.
Keep in mind when siting the bath that birds prefer their water source close to cover. A quick escape route to shrubs or low-hanging branches helps.
As with most things, there is maintenance required to maintain a hygienic bird bath. Dump out the old water and replace it with fresh every few days. If algae build up on the bottom, scrub it off and refill with clean water. Breeding mosquitoes won’t be a concern if the water is completely replaced often.
Other wildlife like squirrels and raccoons may use the water also, especially during dry periods. It is not a concern unless the dish section is unstable on the pedestal, in which case, they can dump it off.
The birds will go through water faster at different times during the season. Water use is heavy when they are building their nests. Windy days and nights cause loss from evaporation. Depending on how many birds are in your area and their water usage, you may have to refill the bath twice a day, but that rarely lasts longer than three weeks.
Enjoy your bird bath. It is hard not to laugh when seeing a bird having a frolic in the water.
If you are stumped by a gardening question, let the Extension Master Gardeners of Edgar County try to figure it out for you. Call us at 217-465-8585 or email us at schiver@illinois.edu.
Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities. Illinois Extension is part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.