Watering your Wild Birds
Birding in your back yard is an easy, enjoyable hobby that can bring a lifetime of joy. Many birders put a great deal of thought into designing a good experience for the birds. They will put out various types of birdfood, erect baffles to keep away squirrels, and even try to keep cats and larger birds at bay. Some, however, forget that birds also need another key ingredient to be happy - water.
While birds can drink from rivers, lakes, and even puddles, a backyard birder that provides a safe, reliable source of water will find that more and more birds flock to this important resource. What, then, is important in providing water for the birds?
First, make sure that the water is relatively clean. If you have a dish that collects rainwater, and after a month is slimy and full of dirt, a bird will hardly want to wash in it, never mind drink it. Try to refresh the water daily, or at least when it becomes dirty.
Next, you don't want to have the birds drown while they are having a sip. Keep the water shallow, with a lip on the edge that the bird can sit on. I often put a rock into the dish to give them something rougher to climb on if they wish.
If it gets below freezing in your area, look into getting a heater for the cooler months. Bird bath heaters are usually inexpensive, and can provide the much-needed drink a bird needs when the rest of the world is frozen.
With a little extra thought, your feeding area can become a virtual paradise for your feathered friends!
How to Choose a Birdbath
Attracting Birds with Food Choices
Bushes and Shrubs that Birds Love
Wild Bird Feeding Basics
Birding Tips and Photos
Birding Help Hints Tips and Information