Providing Water

Bird Baths, Ponds, Drippers and Misters

Providing a water source could double the number of bird species found in your yard.  Bird baths, ponds, and water gardens will attract birds.  Birds are especially attracted to water than is moving, splashing, or dripping.

Bird Baths

Birds will bathe in and drink from just about anything that will hold water, including puddles on the ground and clogged up rain gutters on your house.  

Some water features are safer for birds than others.  Water features also vary in their attractiveness to birds and to homeowners.  Try to find a way to provide needed water for your birds in a way that provides an attractive addition to your landscape.

The Well Designed Bird Bath:  The ideal bird bath has a basin with graduated depths, with the water only about 1/2 inch deep at the edges and no more than 3 inches deep in the center.  The bottom of the basin should not be too slippery.  In cold climates, the birdbath should be made of a materials that will resist cracking if the water freezes. 

Provide a place for birds to escape predators and to dry off:  Wet birds don't fly very well.  They need a place near the bath on which they can safely perch and dry their feathers.  Good size shade trees are ideal for this purpose. 

Clean your birdbath daily:  Clean your bird bath and refill it with fresh water every day.  Unclean bird baths quickly fill with algae and harmful bacteria.  Birds will avoid a bath that is not properly maintained.   Locate your bird bath within easy reach of a hose to make the task of maintaining it easier on yourself. 

Shop for BIRD BATHS at Duncraft.com

Using Drippers and Misters to Attract Birds

Birds like moving water.  Anything you can do to provide water that drips or flows will help attract many birds to your yard. 

Drippers do just as their name implies - emit a drop of water at a time.  These are usually positioned above a bird bath or pond.  The dripping sound attracts birds.  You will also see birds sit on top of the dripper pipe and lean over to catch the dripping water.

Misters spray a fine mist of water in which birds can bathe.  Hummingbirds are attracted to misters, flying through the fine mist to wet their feathers.

There are a variety of commercial mister and dripper products available.

Shop for DRIPPERS at Duncraft.com