One way to attract birds to your yard as well as provide for an essential element for survival of our feathered friends is to provide a water source.

In order to avoid dehydration, birds must drink throughout the year. Since they do not have salivary glands, water is also needed for digesting food. Additionally, a good water source will help with daily hygiene and in particular maintenance of their feathers, which in turn will help to regulate an appropriate body temperature.

The need for a water source throughout the year is so strong that many different types of bird that do not visit seed feeders will show up just for the water.

When considering adding water there are a few different options that you may wish to consider: the water source or location, circulating the water, and providing a heat source for the water during colder times of the year to prevent it from freezing.

Bird Bath or Pond - A bird bath is a quick way to add water to your garden. A pond is a little more work to build, however, it can be a very attractive feature to your garden. There are two different schools of thought as to where water sources should be located. One thought is to locate the water source close to trees or shrubbery to provide an easy location to escape to for safety and the other thought is to have the water source in a clearing so that the birds can keep an eye out for predators.

During warmer times of the year, birds may appreciate water more while in the shade, yet in cooler times of the year the water may be more attractive with some warm sunlight beating down on their feathers!

Both bird baths and ponds require regular routine maintenance. Bird Baths need regular cleaning and it is beneficial to add a product that acts as a protector that prevents stains, organic contaminants and mineral deposits as well as keep water clean and naturally clear. There are also similar products for ponds. The one drawback for a Bird Bath or Pond is that the water is not moving, unless combined with a dripper or other moving source. LEARN MORE >>>>

Water Fountain / Dripper / Water Wiggler – Moving water keeps water cleaner for a longer period of time, attracts the attention of the birds, and prevents mosquitoes from making the water source as their home. A Water Fountain is usually self contained, whereas a Dripper will usually be added to an already existing bird bath. Each has the benefit of adding to your garden décor and recycles the water within the water fountain or bird bath. A water wiggler is also an excellent choice for your bird bath and operates on batteries continuously for a couple months at a time. Moving water takes a colder temperature to freeze, however, a heated water source should also be considered. LEARN MORE >>>>

Heated Water Sources - During the winter water becomes scarce, primarily because the usual water sources have two factors not working in the birds favor. Either their usual water source is frozen, and/or excessive amounts of snow can cover the water. The bird then spends enormous amounts of energy searching for water – energy that could be better spent trying to survive the winter cold.

Adding a heated water source to your wildlife sanctuary is something that will be very much appreciated by your feathered friends and you will be providing the greatest resource that birds need in order to survive.

When using a heated bird bath, make sure that your power source is safe. You’ll want to make sure that the outlet you are using is a GFCI outlet. If you are unsure you may wish to hire an electrician to check it out or install a GFCI outlet.

During the summer, simply unplug your electrical source and use the heated bird bath / pond in its normal fashion.