Drinking plenty of clean water and taking a refreshing bath in summer is something every wild bird likes. Since birds come to our gardens anyway, we might as well invite them to this treat. But so that you can enjoy it all year round, we have to consider a few things.

The bird bath should be big enough

Find the right potion

A bird bath should be big enough. It is also ideal if it is flat at the edge and gets deeper towards the middle. Birds of different sizes can take a bath in it. 2.5 cm depth at the shallowest point and 10 cm at the deepest point are optimal. The drinking trough should also be roughened so that birds can find a footing both on the edge when drinking and when bathing in the middle of the water.

Winterized materials

It doesn't matter whether you're looking in the trade or building the bird bath yourself, you should pay attention to the material. Natural stone and metal, for example, are winterproof. It makes sense that a drinking trough keeps the precious water available for the native birds even in winter. The shallow edges of bodies of water quickly freeze over in winter. Only waterfowl can venture further ahead.

Find a suitable place

A bird bath in the garden will certainly be quickly discovered by the little flyers. But whether they actually regularly land on the bird bath has a lot to do with their location. Birds want to feel safe in their water bath, or at least be able to easily fly away if danger threatens. For example when a cat approaches. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following criteria when setting up the bird bath:

  • don't stand too close to bushes
  • at least 3 m distance is appropriate
  • Bushes at a safe distance are desirable
  • if necessary, they can be flown to as a hiding place
  • Place drinking troughs higher, e.g. B. on a stand
  • Place water troughs only on short-mowed lawns

tips

Also, don't place a bird bath too close to buildings. There is a risk of injury to the animals when approaching.

Clean regularly

It is important to clean and change the water regularly. Harmful germs multiply quickly in the heat. Birds can become ill if they bathe in or even drink from contaminated water.

Watch out for ice formation in winter

When the thermometer falls below zero in winter, flat bird baths freeze over in no time. If necessary, regularly add a small amount of warm water to prevent this. You can also use grave lights and special warming plates to keep the bird bath free of ice in winter.

Category:

Garden design