Some commercial birdbaths look visually stunning, but when you install them, birds avoid them.
Quite often the cause is just that they are either too deep for small birds or the bottom is too slippery for them to feel at ease. To correct the problem, simply put pebbles or stones on the bottom, or even just a rock with a sloping top, so that at least one section is shallower than the rest or even exposed, offering a variety of depths. That way each bird can choose a depth at which it feels comfortable.
More Tips
Here are a few other tips on how to make your birdbath both popular with birds and safe for them to use:
- You can place a bird bath directly on the ground if the spot is out in the open, but if there are shrubs or plants nearby where predators (especially cats) can hide, birds will hesitate to use it. In such spots, it’s better to put it on a pedestal;
- For the same reason, in some locations, a birdbath hanging from a tree will be the safest;
- Change the water every day or two to prevent the growth of harmful microbes.