Water:
Place water 15 feet from cover. Trees and shrubs are ideal – they provide a safe place for the ‘washed bird’ to perch and fluff feathers until they dry.
Be careful about water depth. 1”-2” is perfect. Any deeper, and birds can drown. If you have a deep water feature, put in rocks to bring the bottom up near the surface. This will be safer for the birds, and reduce the amount of water needed.
|
Level |
What To Do |
Examples |
|
Simple |
Provide water from spring through fall |
Bird bath |
|
Middle |
Provide winter water |
Heated bird bath |
|
Advanced |
Provide running water |
Purchase or build a shallow bath with a reservoir and pump. Running water does not provide a home for mosquito larva, and a pump with a filter will keep the water cleaner. |
|
Top-flight (as it were) |
Provide multiple water types |
Small containers are perfect for little birds Water at different heights attracts different birds Have some rocks in the sun, splash water on them to provide water for butterflies A misting device will attract hummingbirds |
Clean baths regularly to remove algae and avoid spreading disease. Many sources recommend a 10% bleach to water solution, followed by thorough rinsing. We have had good success using a simple kitchen scrubber.