Fresh Water a Basic Ingredient in Attracting Birds

A reliable source of fresh water is one of the basic ingredients needed in attracting colorful song birds to your backyard. Water should be available and accessible in all seasons.  Many species of birds that won’t eat from your birdfeeder, like robins, may be attracted to your yard by a birdbath.

In nature shallow water is hard to come by.  Pools will form after a hard rain, but they tend to disappear fast.  A steady, reliable pool of clean water is rare and birds will travel great distances to visit one.

Birds need water for drinking, to help digestion, and for bathing.  After splashing around in a puddle of water or your birdbath for a few minutes a bird will usually go to some sunny perch to fluff out its feathers and dry out.  Then it carefully preens its feathers to clean them and remove parasites.  In preening its feathers it is putting on a protective coating of oil secreted by a gland at the base of its tail.  This oil protects the feathers and helps to insulate the bird from the elements such as rain and helps it in flight.  Therefore, a steady, dependable supply of fresh, clean water is always needed.  A birdbath in your backyard garden can be that source of fresh water.  Our Amazon Store provides a wide variety of birdbaths and accessories that would make a great attraction to your backyard.

Water intended for birds is no place for chemicals of any kind.  Never add chemicals to your birdbath to control algae or insects, or to prevent freezing.  Birds will use your birdbath to drink and bathe and these chemicals can be poisonous to them.  Also these chemicals could attack their skin and feathers.  If you wish to provide fresh water during winter, use the commercially available immersion heaters to prevent freezing instead of chemicals.  Don’t even add glycol, because the glycol will make their feathers gummy and sticky and it will affect their flying.  Be sure that runoff from chemicals and fertilizers you use in your garden also doesn’t get into the water.  Also, never use lead-lined birdbaths and plumbing fixtures, as lead can also be poisonous.

If you continue to provide a safe, steady supply of clean water in your backyard all year then you will always be entertained with a steady supply of colorful singing birds.