It’s Time to Provide Water

During the hot and often dry conditions that make up the “dog days of summer," you will be doing yourself and your birds a big favor by providing them with a reliable source of water.

Water is very important to birds. Whether they are feeder visitors or not, birds need water. Offering a dependable source of water is probably the simplest and most important step you can take to greatly increase the variety of birds in your yard.

However, as entertaining as it is for us, water (or the lack thereof) can be deadly serious for birds. Birds must be ready to fly at all times, and bathing is a critical part of feather maintenance and staying in top-flight condition.

Water is also vitally important when it's extremely hot and a bird’s ability to regulate its body temperature can become stressed. 

So, while the addition of a bird bath, fountain or mister to your yard can supply hours of enjoyable bird watching entertainment for you, it may also be providing a lifesaving necessity.

Tips to Make The Most Out of Your Bird Bath:

• Place a solar- or battery-powered fountain or water wiggler into your bird bath. The sight and sound of moving water attracts more birds and keeps mosquitoes from breeding in your bird bath!
• An alternative to this is a dripper or mister hooked up to your hose. Bonus: mist attracts more hummingbirds!
• Use a liquid bird bath protector or copper disk to prevent algae growth
• Place your bird bath near bushes or shrubs so birds have a place to take cover before and after bathing.
• The best bird baths have "grippy" texture and sloped sides so birds can choose their depth. Add a few river rocks to your bird bath if you want to increase their options!
• In summer, choosing a lighter-colored dish and keeping your bird bath in the shade can keep the water cooler.
• In winter, birds still need clean feathers to stay warm and a bird bath can be a lifeline in otherwise-freezing conditions. A bird bath heater is a great way to help them during the coldest time of year.