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Landscape Design Farm Life The Winter Garden

Best birdbath to attract winter birds??

2 years ago

Does anyone have a specific recommendation and perhaps pics of a birdbath that actually attracts birds in winter? and if you have specific recommendations for placement, any tips would be helpful.

We have tried heated birdbaths, on ground birdbaths, fountain bird baths and none seem particularly successful. I must be missing something...We live in zone 6A southwest Ohio, so we get some freezes, snow and rain and sun in winter months. We have woods and spruce and maple trees and over all a good bird habitat With a variety of songbirds and back yard birds. But none at our bird baths....

Any help would be appreciated. Thx.

Featured Answer

woodrose

2 years ago

Only use heated bird baths., Put just a few inches of water in the birdbath. Put some stones, or sticks in the birdbath for the birds to stand on. Keep the bath clean. Birds need water to drink in the winter, but don't want to get their feathers wet when it's freezing cold. Hope this helps.

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Comments (6)

Gargamel
last year
I read somewhere that birds don’t like baths with a smooth inner surface (like glazed ceramic). They like something that they can grip with their claws (like terracota, concrete). I don’t know if this is true.
J Inhof thanked Gargamel
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J Inhof
Original Author
last year
Thx. Good points. Have tried most everything—including making a little pondy waterfall—very shallow running water with wet rock around it. But I think the issue might be there is not enough ‘cover’ close by, although there are 50 foot tall pines within 30 feet and 8 foot yews around the waterfall. I guess that is not enough. I bought a heated dog bowl and put gravel and rocks in it and no birdies in that either. I wonder where they are getting their water....thx again.
Gargamel
last year
I wonder if it is even true that birds like birdbaths at all!
annztoo
last year
You're correct that you need more cover. The bath will be used more often if it sits near shrubs, small trees, or under a large tree and having a feeder nearby will help draw the birds in.

It's possible the yews you have may not be open-branched enough for the birds to perch on easily. If you have cats don't place the bath too close to the shrubs since it gives the cats a place to pounce from.

We use concrete baths with a gentle slope but also have a shallow, flat bath that is glazed. The one that sits on the ground has a rough, sandy texture to it. If you have a bath bowl that is too deep, place something decorative in the center for the birds to land on, or you can even use a brick.

The birds that visit us love bathing in the baths all thru the winter, even when it's snowing. Sometimes they splash out so much water we have to refill it during the day. All our bath are heated thru the winter.
J Inhof thanked annztoo
Steve Earsom
last year
The easiest way is to place a basin with heated water and replace it each time you notice any formation of ice.

On the other hand, if you don’t mind spending a few bucks on heaters, you can find one in hardware stores, bird feeder stores, or any electrical supply shops. Some birdbaths have built-in heaters but you can also purchase the heater separately. Just make sure to install it properly and plug it in a fault circuit interrupter to deter electric shock.
J Inhof thanked Steve Earsom

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