If you were tiny as a Black-capped Chickadee, and the air temperature was minus 6… you could get thirsty. Yet puddles are frozen. Ponds are white and rock hard. Even the creeks are sealed over with ice.
Birds do have ways to get by with amazingly little water. Still, if they can find open water in winter, they will come for it eagerly. A cautious small bird may spend only a few seconds at the birdbath, but that can be a delightful moment for the watcher at the window.
Offering a drink to wild birds is a great way to enjoy the outdoor winter from the warmth of indoors. Here are some suggestions for a successful birdbath.
Keeping water wet
The best winter birdbath has a heater built into the bowl, out of sight, with a thermostat that turns on the heat when the water is below freezing and turns it off once the water is melted. It requires an outside electrical outlet and an outdoor-rated cord. This kind of birdbath can be pricey, but if it’s in the budget, it offers a lot of joy to bird and human.
You could also simply put out a pan of warm water, but in super cold weather it will freeze fast, just like an ordinary, unheated birdbath.
Another solution is a de-icer, which is a separate electric heating element you can submerge in an ordinary birdbath to prevent ice from forming. I’ve found it challenging to secure them so that they don’t get knocked out of the bath, leaving the water to freeze. However, with a little ingenuity, it’s a way to upgrade an ordinary birdbath, which would otherwise be useless in a frozen winter.
How to do birdbaths right
Shallow, rough, quiet, and clean
Shallow ~ Keep the water level shallow, so that a bird can stand in the water if they want to, without getting their body wet. One inch is about perfect. If the bath is too deep, a couple of flat rocks in the bottom are in order.
Rough ~ Smooth surfaces get slippery. A rough-textured birdbath gives good grip, letting the birds focus on drinking rather than maintaining balance.
Quiet ~ Bubblers and fountains are problematical in extreme cold and are not recommended in winter. Splashing water sometimes inspires a bird to take a bath. That bath would be much better postponed until the weather warms up.
Clean ~ Cleanliness is non-negotiable, for the health of the birds. I carry a gallon jug of water out every morning, give the bath a quick scrub with a brush I keep nearby, and replace the water. Locate the bath in reach of a hose, and it will be easy to keep clean in summer, too.
Where to place your birdbath
South or southeast exposure ~ It’s ideal for catching the sun in the morning sun, when birds are eager for a drink.
Out of the wind ~ Wind pulls heat out of birds’ bodies. You’ll get more visitors in a protected location.
With an escape route ~ Evergreen shrubs, a dense deciduous thicket, or a brush pile about 6-10 feet away gives birds a place to flee if a predator shows up. It’s far enough away to make it hard for cats and other predators to ambush the birds.
Down fairly low ~ Ground level baths, and up to about 18 inches tall, invite the many birds who prefer to drink close to the ground. Also, the wind is softer down low. Decks and rails are OK so long as there are trees or shrubs nearby for escape.
Away from feeders ~ Water stays cleaner if seeds and worse things are not dropping into it.
And the cord ~ Of course, the heated bath has to be where electricity is within reach.
Safety from cats
Domestic cats kill many wild birds. Birds are vulnerable when they leave protected spaces to get water.
So don’t put your birdbath near a spot where cats can hide. The birds should have clear sight lines from the bath. Be wary of low wall, steps, and woodpiles. Don’t put your bath near a door where a cat can dash out and grab a bird.
You matter too
Put yourself in the picture. Place the birdbath where you can see it from indoors, from your desk, dining room, or kitchen sink.
The dream birdbath
A rough-textured, shallow, low, heated bowl
Separated from feeders
About 8 feet from dense evergreens or a thicket
South-facing, wind-sheltered spot
Where predators can be spotted easily
Where you can see it from inside your house
Happy winter season to all who love birds.
Wow, those bluebirds! What a great shot!
Thank you, for sending out this information, Diane.
I was blessed to get a Koi Pond installed in my backyard in September.
It has a waterfall. I’ve been delighted to see birds and squirrels drinking from it this week! The running water doesn’t freeze.
It stays clean, so I don’t have to worry about whether my bird bath stays clean.