Essential Water

Bird Baths and Water Dishes

For garden birds a regular supply of clean water is essential for drinking and bathing – two vital activities in their lives. Smaller garden birds diets consist of seeds and grains, which are a very dry food source, to birds will often need to drink and bathe once or twice a day. By putting out a bird bath or water dish you can provide a vital supply of water, attract a large number and variety of birds to your garden and enjoy watching their antics as they drink and bathe. Bird baths should be cleaned regularly with a diluted, non-toxic disinfectant and scrubbed thoroughly to remove algae and droppings.

During spells of cold weather it is especially important to provide birds with a regular supply of water, to drink and to help keep their plumage clean; important for insulation during the cold nights of winter and early spring. While it is just as important to keep a fresh supply of water available during hot weather too. Birds are at their most vulnerable to predators when bathing, so they are less at risk from surprise attack if you situate the bird bath at least two metres from cover.