Providing a bird bath is the best thing you ever could to birds, as best bird baths for attracting birds of all kinds, whether it’s a seed eater or insect eater (even some shy/rare bird species that have never come to your yard before). Buying bird baths is not a piece of cake, as not all bird baths are the same. That is why you have to know a few things about the bird bath.
In this article, I’ve listed the top 5 best all-season birdbaths! And I have also mentioned some most important points like, What is the best material for bird bath? How to keep bird bath water moving? How deep should a birdbath be? etc. And some other tips that you should consider before placing your first birdbath in your yard.
This all-season bird bath helps you to attract a variety of bird species to your backyard with ease, as it has a built-in thermostat that prevents bird bath water from freezing, even on the chilliest winter days.
And it’s a convenient tilt-to-clean deck rail mounting bracket, keeping the bowl tidy. (I have it since 2016, and it still works great.)
This bowl is specially-designed to attract and encourage all bird species to land. A textured surface and shaped rim allow a bird’s talons to undoubtedly-grasp and perch, while the gradual slope promotes bathing. Plus, its heating element automatically keeps water temperature between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why I like it
Economical to operate
Sturdy weatherproof stand
Thermostatically controlled
Farm Innovators Model HBC-120C All Seasons Bird bath With Pedestal
This birdbath has a hidden electrical connection, so you can effortlessly plug your extension cord into the built-in connection on the bottom side of the unit.
Plus, its compression-molded scalloped design provides durability, stability, and longevity. With this bird bath, you don’t have to worry about the electricity bill as it costs only pennies a day to operate.
This thermostatically controlled birdbath heats only when necessary, costing. Plus, its attractive sand-coated year-round oasis has a concealed integrated heating element.
And the cord tucks away for warm weather use, to be completely hidden from sight.(I have had two pieces of this birdbath since 2015, and both bird baths work like a charm.)
This Nature Oasis bird bath created from a new sustainable material called Polyboo natural oasis consists of a mix of 100% recycled plastic and natural bamboo fibers.
And not only for birds, but pollinators and delicate insects can safely access the water using the shallow steps of this bird bath. This product doesn’t have an inbuilt heater; you have to buy it separately.
Why I like it
Easy to clean
Artistic design
Durable and long-lasting
What is the best material for bird bath
There are dozens of different materials available at garden stores, such as plastic, cast iron, concrete, glass, copper, ceramic (the most popular), and more. But remember not all work well, some good for winter or some for summers. And even some materials work pretty well for all seasons. Let’s check which are the best materials for a birdbath.
Concrete
Concrete birdbath works pleasantly well in all seasons! I have two concrete birdbaths since 2010, and both still work perfectly. But sometimes, due to winters, concrete birdbaths can crack when frozen, and on the other hand, they are also quite laborious to clean.
Concrete birdbaths are often too deep for songbirds (mine are too), so to make them a shallower and safe place for small birds, I added some large gravel into it. If the place where you live gets considerably colder during winters and you also don’t have a big yard, I don’t suggest you go with concrete birdbaths.
Plastic
Plastic is one of the best choices for bird bath basins, as they are too easy to clean and durable. They are cheap and undoubtedly available everywhere. Birds prefer a birdbath at the ground level, which you can surely provide them with the help of a plastic birdbath.
Plus, plastic birdbath wouldn’t break when the water freezes in winters. And they can be clamped or screwed anywhere, such as garden Deck. Plastic stands in all weather without a doubt, so plastic is a genuinely useful material for bird bath choice.
Copper
Copper can be a beautiful accent to a birdbath, and it also helps repel algae while keeping the birdbath cleaner for longer. Copper bird baths can be more lightweight than expected, so if you want one make sure you place the birdbath somewhere safely to avoid falls or tips that can damage or dent the metal.
Copper is also the best material for all-season birdbaths and bird feeders. It is effortless to clean and valuable for its antibacterial values of self-sterilizing. But they are often more expensive than other birdbaths, so not valid for everyone.
Glazed ceramic
Glazed ceramic is very unsuitable for birdbaths due to its smoothness, as birds don’t like slippery surfaces where they can’t stand straight. But on the other hand, glazed ceramic is one of the most popular materials in the options of beautiful birdbaths.
It is also the best all-season bird bath material! If you want to make use of glazed ceramic birdbaths, then make sure you’ll add some pea gravel into it, as pea gravel has the added benefit of giving birds the textured surface that helps them to stand safely while using your birdbaths.
Each material is best in their class! I have an 8-bird bath, two of them made of concrete, as I already mentioned above, and the other four are plastic bird baths, which I’m using at ground level, especially for those birds who love bath and drink on a ground such as Blue Jay, House Finch, Sparrow, Chickadee, etc. The plastic birdbaths are really good, as you can effortlessly customize them as per your garden and bird needs.
How to keep bird bath water moving
There are dozens of other ways available out there that you can use to keep the birdbath water moving! My personal favorite is the automatic bird bath filler device, which is affordable, durable, effortlessly available on markets, and lasts longer if used correctly.
These devices are available in two options that you can use, such as a solar-powered fountain and a water wiggler (that runs on D-cell batteries). With these products, you don’t have to worry about mosquito eggs and related diseases anymore, as mosquitoes don’t lay their eggs in moving water.
On the other hand, an automatic solar-powered fountain helps you keep free from all kinds of nasty stuff that grows into the stagnant birdbath. I also use these products in my birdbath, and they really work like a charm! If you have a big birdbath basin, then these products are best for you.
How deep should a bird bath be
It is the most important thing to know! Small birds or songbirds don’t like deep water sources. They usually prefer shallow water ponds in which they can easily see at the bottom.
If you want to attract all kinds of birds like songbirds and large birds, try to use sloping sides birdbath, so the water must be between 2.5cm (sides) and 10cm (middle) deep. This kind of bird bath is generous enough to attract many bird species to your yard.
And if you are using a sloping side birdbath, here is one thing to consider, do not use any slippery material for slopey birdbath, as birds feel helpless and less than safe when they stand on slick surfaces. So try to provide them a secure or rough place to stand on.
Besides, if you have a deep birdbath, add a layer of pea gravel or some large, flat stones in the bottom to give birds a variety of water levels. Pea gravel has the added advantage of providing birds the textured surface they actually need to stay securely on their feet and balanced while they bathe.
How to get birds to use a Bird Bath – Some valuable tips
If you really want to attract various bird species to your birdbath with fewer efforts. Then there are plenty of things that you should always keep in mind. I already explain the three most important points above, such as Bird Bath Material, Water Moving, and Depths. And the rest of the things or tips are here.
Birdbath Location
Always keep a quite wide space between your birdbath and the nearest shrubbery so that birds have ample opportunity to escape in case of predators. Also, keep your birdbath in a shady area in your yard where water remains fresh, clean, and cool for longer.
It also prevents water from evaporating more quickly. Choose a birdbath that visually matches your garden looks. Plus, add some food plants/trees nearby the birdbath for them, as dozens of species love cranberry bush viburnum and bittersweet orange berries.
Height
Every bird species has its own height preferences! Large birds like quail, doves love to drink and bath from ground-level basins, while smaller bird species such as blue jay, sparrow, chickadee prefer to drink and bath from taller basins.
So, it is better to keep your birdbath between 1-foot above the ground, which is suitable for all species. Or you can also use two birdbaths, one on the ground level and the second at the taller level.
Size
Small bird baths are easy to clean and convenient to move as compared to large baths. But the larger model holds more water, which is beneficial for attracting a vaster number of different bird species without causing any territorial conflicts between them. If you have a big backyard, using larger models is most helpful.
Freezing Proof
Birds also require basins in winter for drink and bath! So make sure you’ll keep your birdbath free from freezing during winter seasons with the help of water heaters that are effortlessly available on amazon.
And there is also an all-season plastic birdbath with an inbuilt water heater available in the affordable price range, which you can choose depending on your backyard needs.
Migration season is the peak time of bird movement to attract many rare and unique bird species to your birdbath, as not all birds eat suet cake and bird seeds, but they all need water.
So make sure you always keep your birdbath out during migration season, with fresh moving water, at least big enough to provide space for 20 to 30 birds at a time.
Always keep your birdbath clean, especially its perches or edges where birds gather to drink, as birds don’t like algae on the edges of the birdbath.
Make your birdbaths safe and appealing throughout the winter.
Make sure you never use anything like additives and antifreeze chemicals to prevent the water from freezing, as such chemicals are toxic, as well as deadliest to birds. So, try to avoid them as much as possible.
Keep your bath full of fresh water at all times, or you can also use an automatic bird bath filler if you can’t do it manually.
Advice
No matter what size, material, beautiful birdbath you have, but the thing that matters is how safe and clean your birdbath is! Because birds don’t look for a beautiful birdbath, they only need a safe and clean water source to fulfill their bath and drink needs.
So always keep your birdbath as fresh as possible, and to make it fresh and clean, you can use an affordable plastic birdbath, which you can easily clean and manage. If you build a clean and safe water source for birds throughout all the seasons, the birds will come to your yard without delay.
Thanks for reading so far! I hope this article on Best Bird Baths for attracting birds will help you understand everything about Bird Baths!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to stabilize a bird bath?
Ans: To make birdbaths stable! There are two methods that you can use! First, use pea gravel or large stones to fill the basin to make it stabilize. Second, fix your basin leg on the ground with stabilizer or ground anchor pegs. The second method is really helpful if you have a detachable birdbath.
Q: How to keep fountain water clean for birds?
Ans: To keep fountain water clean don’t use any chemicals or abrasives, clean it manually with a heavy-duty stiff brush and rinse a few times unless all algae or microorganisms are washed accurately. And, make sure you always clean it once in weeks if you want fountain water to stay clear.
Q: How to keep bird bath from freezing?
Ans: To keep it free from freezing, place the bird bath in the sunny area during winter seasons, and try to use a black bird bath, as black color absorbs heat more efficiently, or you can also add some black pea gravel into it. And there is a plastic heated bird bath available that you can use to keep it from freezing.
Q: What color should I paint a concrete bird bath?
Ans: It’s better to use a similar color as your backyard theme has, such as dark green, black, gray, specifically multi-colors. For birds, these colors are like a natural source of water as well as these colors attract more birds rather than using bright colors like yellow, red, or one single color.
Q: How to clean a cement bird bath?
Ans: Cleaning cement birdbath is quite troublesome, as it has nanopores where all the algae are stuck, which is a little hard to remove but not impossible! So for the cleaning, you can use a mixture of water and vinegar. First, fill the basin with the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes, scrub and rinse all the dirt out. Then rinse the basin 3 to 4 times with plain water to reduce the vinegar smell.
