Birdbaths - Why are they important?

For birds, birdbaths are not just a matter of personal hygiene - they may be a matter of life and death. Dirty feathers don't function well when flying or in protecting the body from the wind, snow, heat and other elements.

A bird's bathing action is more of a light shower rather than a soaking. Most birds will wade into the water a few inches deep, and bend a bit to get their undersides wet, and then move their beak from back and forth. While they do this, their wings are beating to spray water all over their body.

After bathing, a bird will fly to a safe perch to preen. Most birds have an oil gland at the base of their tail, which produces an oil that is spread all over the feathers by the bird. The purpose of this oil is to help give the feathers durability and make them water resistance. As the bird preens, he smoothes and rearranges the barbs and barbules as he distributes the oil and removes dirt and insects that may have embedded in their feathers.

A natural birdbath is a puddle, so the best birdbath that you can provide your feathery friends is one that imitates a puddle. The bath should be round or oval with a flat bottom and sloping sides.  It should be no deeper than three inches. The bottom surface of the birdbath should not be so smooth that the birds won't be able to get a secure footing. If necessary, add gravel to the bottom of the bath to make it less smooth and provide better footing for the birds. Flat rocks can also be added to the water to provide better footing. The water in the bath should be changed frequently, and the bath should be scrubbed every few days in warmer weather.

Place your birdbath in the shade of a tree or near some kind of cover that provides shade. Adequate cover helps to make the bird feel more secure, especially when they are wet and cannot fly quickly. If the bath is located in an open area, a dead tree branch can be placed in the ground next to the birdbath to achieve the same purpose. Avoid positioning the birdbath directly under a perch or feeder, as droppings in the water are should be avoided.

Water movement and the sound of dripping water attract birds, so an artificial bath with a fresh water sprinkler will help the birds notice the bath. This also decreases the presence of infectious bacteria, which are common in backyard bird baths.

When properly placed and consistently cleaned and maintained, bird baths can be a healthy and entertaining addition to your backyard bird sanctuary.