Water is Life

All living creatures, including birds, require water for survival. Birds can obtain moisture from their food, but most still need to drink water daily. Additionally, water is crucial for bathing, which helps keep their feathers clean and removes parasites. Having a reliable source of fresh, clean water is an excellent way to attract a diverse range of birds to your yard, including those that don't typically visit feeders.

Traditional concrete birdbaths are often too deep and difficult to clean. A more effective birdbath offers shallow areas for bathing, similar to the rain puddles birds use in nature.

At Wild Bird Adventures, we feature several water elements, including a large natural pond with shallow banks, a man-made pond with strategically placed rocks for shallow bathing, and a traditional concrete birdbath. The concrete birdbath requires daily maintenance for filling, scrubbing, and cleaning, whereas the ponds largely maintain themselves.

When incorporating a water feature into your habitat, consider adding motion to the water's surface. Water drips and small solar fountains are simple ways to create the movement and sound that attract songbirds.

Maintaining a full and clean birdbath daily is essential for attracting a wide variety of birds to your yard. Southeast Texas is currently experiencing a severe drought, so any water feature, large or small, will greatly benefit our feathered friends.

Eastern Bluebirds at the bath

American Robins and Red-headed Woodpecker at the birdbath