Birdbath Care Made Easy

Okay, so you've found the perfect birdbath, right? It's shallow enough for wading (not deeper than 3 inches), check. Not tooooo smooth to be slippery, check. If it has a bubbler or fountain drip in the middle, it will be more attractive for bathing and "misting" our little friends (maybe check). Now we need to consider placement.

Obviously we want to place our birdbath where we can see the action, but also where we attract the most birds. Birds like to sun themselves, but they also prefer security. A wet bird is a heavy bird, so a wet bird prefers to be close to shrubbery, a fence or trees where it can escape from harm's way easily.

Most birdbaths are on pedestals, but you may also find one that hangs from a tree, offering more security from low-lying creatures.

Placing your birdbath near your garden hose will help you rinse, clean and refill it every day in the hot weather. After dumping the water, a quick wipe with a cloth will help keep the refill water fresh. If it's awkward dump, a strong hosing out may work as well. If you plan to be away for a couple of days or so, you may want to add a drop of laundry blueing, which will help keep the water fresh without harming our feathered friends.