Tips and Ideas for Adding Bird Baths and Bird Feeders to Your Home and Garden

A bird-friendly yard must be coupled with clean, fresh bird baths and bird feeders to attract the birds’ attention. Whether these birds would stay for long in the birdhouses and feeders or not, what is essential is you can also put of measure of security and convenience to these birds. 

The correct placement of bird baths and bird feeders is necessary so you won’t hurt the birds that flock in your place. Putting them in the wrong place will not only be dangerous to the birds but also bring unattractiveness to them and your property.

“Most birders assume that any bird bath is helpful, but in the wrong place, a bird bath can actually hurt birds. Positioned under a feeder or near a tree or bush that regularly sheds its leaves, a birdbath will soon fill with dirt and debris that can foster mold or bacteria growth that can cause disease,” said author Melissa Mayntz, who writes about some guides on how to position bird baths and bird feeders for The Spruce.

On the other hand, placing the bird baths too near windows could lead to birds colliding with each other, resulting in injuries.

It is a fact that people who love birds want them to be in their backyard all the time. It is a kind of hobby that is not very popular but still liked by many people. However, attracting different types of birds to your garden is not an easy task. If you want to make this task easier for you, you should move on and get some good lawn and garden equipment. This includes several different types of furniture, feeders, bird baths, and other things.

To make your home viewing experience great, setting up a reliable bird feeder for water and feed is a good start. However, choosing the best one is the key to your success. 

Stone birdbath

Interestingly, there aren’t many people out there who love birds or want to have birds visiting their backyard frequently. This is because most people have other animals as their pets which include dogs, cats, hamsters, and others. However, having bird pets or just wanting to have a few birds visit your backyard is also a great experience.

Indeed, some people love the relaxed and calm atmosphere around them. All they love is nature, and they want to be close to nature as much as possible. For this reason, many people indulge in gardening activities. However, sometimes this is not enough. People then move on to the next step, which is attracting birds to your lawn or garden. A hummingbird can be an excellent bird to attract because it has a good voice which maintains the calm environment around.

Some important things to look for in a bird feeder

The internet is rich with ideas on the best bird feeders that you can use to make the most of your outdoor space. Read on as we are giving you the top 5 bird feeders for water and feed.

1. Type of bird feeders

Bird feeders come in five main types: ground or platform, hummingbird, hopper, tube, and suet. Ground feeders feature screened bottoms that prevent seeds from spilling. It attracts the largest varieties of birds but should not be used if you have cats. Hopper feeders are sturdy and can hold a lot of seeds. Hummingbird feeders, on the other hand, are filled with sugar water and placed in the shade near a window.

The most common type among these is the tube feeder, and it attracts small birds. If you want to attract uncommon birds, like bluebirds and woodpeckers, you can use suet feeders. The type of bird feeder you should get depends on your personal preferences.

2. Material for bird feeders

To keep squirrels away, it’s better to choose plastic bird feeders that have metal reinforcements and perches. If you want a wooden bird feeder, ensure that it is made of weather-resistant cedar or is painted or stained.

3. Food on the bird feeders

The type of food you will place in the feeder also affects the kinds of birds that will frequent it. For example, putting medium cracked corn in it can attract ground-feeding birds. But if you want to attract a wide variety of birds, you can opt to put in sunflower seeds.

Blue Tit bird on a bird feeder

Some best ideas on how to position bird baths 

The better positioning of your bird baths is the key to success in terms of maximizing the purpose of the baths and lessening the chance of bringing hazards to the birds. Below are some facts to consider in achieving the ideal location for your bird baths:

1. Ensure the stability of the bath

Position your bird bath in a level, safe spot where it is not likely to spill quickly, fall, or tip. Make sure of the level placement of the basin to maintain the depth and make use of the water capacity.

You can add paving stones or gravel beneath the bird bath to pave the way for a sturdy surface and safe ground level.

2. Check the size of the bath

The weight and size of the bird bath are essential in deciding where you place them.

A bird bath that is heavy and made of concrete is difficult to move and could also harm the delicate plants around. Worse, the heavy bath could sink into the soft soil in your garden. On the other hand, if you pick a lighter bath, it also needs additional protection or shelter when strong winds occur, which may cause it to tip down.

3. Make sure of the bath’s visibility

Your bird bath will be useless if birds can see it. Thus, find a convenient spot that will also give you a decent location for watching the birds enjoying the bath.

Pick a visible area in your yard that can attract the birds when they are around. You can also opt for multiple bird baths in different spots to meet the needs of the birds drinking or bathing. The ideal location for a bird bath is in a flower bed or a garden

4. Be conscious of the local climate 

The change in the season and local climate can also dictate how or where you position your bird bath.

In the southern areas, positioning your bird bath in a shady part will help keep the water cooler even on the hottest days. This will eventually help minimize the growth of bacteria in warm water.

If you happen to live in northern areas, a sunny spot is the best decision, so the sunlight can help maintain the warmness of the water on cool days. Also, it helps keep water in liquid in winter.

Female Anna's hummingbird playing and drinking in the water fountain

5. Make it clean 

Cleanliness is one of the important factors that ensure the safeness of the water in your bird bath. Do not place your bird bath beneath shrub areas or trees that freely shed fruits or seeds, which will accumulate in the bath area. Furthermore, make sure that feces, algae, and spilled hulls or seeds are also not found on the bird bath to ensure its cleanliness.

6. Don’t place the bath too close to the windows 

Make sure the bird bath is placed several feet away from any windows. This is important so that the birds will have enough space to maneuver and avoid the risk of dangerous collisions which could harm or injure the birds.

7. Do not place the bath near the pets 

The bird bath should not be too exposed because birds are typically nervous when they bathe or drink. You can place the bath away from predators that attack the birds. Keep the bath away from children or pets. You can place the bath on a dappled or partial shade to attract birds as they see the water sparkles and changing shadow of the location.

8. Decide on the design of the bird baths

You can also opt for a solar bath or a bath with a fountain. However, you need to consider the other factors on this. For example, a solar bird bath requires complete sunlight to work well. On the other hand, a bird bath fountain must close to a power source for correct operation.

9. Ensure adequate water source

To have regular clean water in your bird baths, position it closer to a spigot or a hose. In this manner, you can keep the water full and fresh.

You can put the bath under a downspout or a gutter or even near automatic sprinklers that can help maintain the water moving and keep the water supply on the basin full.

If the bird bath is not near a water source, you can use a long hose that is accessible to you to refill the water on the basin quickly.

Conclusion

There are so many things to consider for a proper bird bath and bird feeder placement. Yet, you can always find a way to compromise on some factors to ensure the bird species’ safety, security, and convenience.