Bird bath

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Photograph of a watchful mockingbird taking a bath in a glass bowl birdbath.

A Birdbath is an artificial "puddle" or small shallow pond, created with a water- filled basin, for birds to bathe and 'cool off' in, and drink from. A Birdbath can be a garden ornament, small reflecting pool, outdoor sculpture, and part of creating a vital wildlife garden.
A birdbath is an attraction for many different species of birds to visit gardens, especially during the summer and drought periods. Birdbaths that provide a reliable source of water year round add to the popularity and "micro-habitat" support.^[1]

Contents [hide] 1 Introduction 2 Design and construction 3 Bird habitat 3.1 Perch and view needs 3.2 Safe refuge needs 3.3 Plants 3.4 Larger birds 4 Maintenance 5 Garden design 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Introduction

Birdbaths can be pre-made basins on pedestals and columns or hang from eaves and trees, or be carved out depressions in rocks and boulders. Requirements include: a shallow gradually deepening basin; enough open surroundings to minimize cats' stalking; clean and renewed-refilled water; and cleaning to avoid contamination and mosquitoes. Two inches of water in the center is sufficient for most backyard birds, because they do not submerge their bodies, only dipping their wings to splash water on their backs. Deeper or wide basins can have "perch islands" in the water, which can also help discourage feline predators.^[2] Elevation on a pedestal is a common safety measure, providing a clear area around the birdbath that is free of hiding locations for predators. A bird feeder can complement a bird bath to encourage birds to linger and return.

[edit] Design and construction

Lorikeet-sized birdbath displayed for close viewing inside a children's zoo

The traditional birdbath is made of molded concrete or glazed terra cotta formed in two pieces, the bowl and the pedestal. The bowl has an indentation or socket in the base which allows it to fit over the pedestal. The pedestal is typically about one meter tall. Both bowl and pedestal can be clean or decorated with bas-relief. Bowls can be pure curved geometry, or have motifs of a shell or pseudo-rocky spring. The pedestal can also be a simple silhouette or incorporate decorations. However, birds seem unconcerned with the aesthetics, with even a shallow plate, pie-tin, or puddle below a slowly dripping water outlet used.^[3]

A shallow concrete birdbath

Birdbaths can be made with other types of materials, including glass, metals (i.e.: copper), plastics, mosaic tiles, marble, or any other material that can be outdoors and hold water. In natural landscape gardens rocks and boulders with natural or stonemason carved basins can fit in unobtrusively. Some birdbaths use a recirculating pump as part of a fountain or water feature, and can include filters, a float valve-water connection for automatic refilling, or a drip irrigation emitter aimed into the bowl. Some use a solar powered pump, floating or submerged, to recirculate the water. Birds are attracted to the sight and sound of running water, with integrated or nearby fountains an important element to bring birds to the garden.^[4]