Birds love water, and they need it to keep cool and to keep their feathers clean.

You don’t need to buy a traditional bird bath. You can use any flat, wide container placed on a flower pot to substitute as a traditional bird bath. But setting up a real bird bath not only adds beauty to your yard, it also provides the specific types of water features birds are attracted to most. Following are four tips on selection and placement for your new bird bath.

Choose the Right Bird Bath

Choosing the right bird bath is important. Make sure the bird bath you choose has a shallow area. If your bird bath is too deep, then smaller birds will avoid bathing there. If you want to get creative, you can add flat rocks to deeper bird baths to create a ledge to attract smaller birds.

Running Water in a Bird Bath

The sound of running water is paramount to attracting birds. The sound of running water is what alerts birds to the presence of water and will act as a catalyst in attracting birds to your yard. You can create this running water in your bird bath by using a simple bubbler, dripper, or fountain pump.

Keep Bird Bath Water Cool

Birds, like humans, want to stay as cool as possible in hot weather. A bird bath with cool water is a great way to help birds fight the heat. You can do this by simply refilling the water in your birdbath with a hose or adding ice cubes to the water a few times a day.

Bird Bath Location

Set up your bird bath in an open area of the yard. The more open space around your bird bath, the more birds are going to come to bathe. Birds have natural predators, and the open space will not allow predators to hide anywhere near your bird bath. This provides a feeling of safety for the birds and will keep them coming back to bathe in your yard.

Stop by and visit Backyard Birds in Matthews and let our birding experts help you pick out the right bird bath for your backyard friends. We carry a variety clay, concrete and cast iron baths to suit your landscaping needs. Prices vary from $36.95 – $179.95.