By Larry Hodgson
Birds love to bathe, but you don’t have to fork out money for a commercial bird bath to please them. Instead, dig around in your home: attic, basement, work space, kitchen, etc. Because I’m sure you already have everything you need.
Your DIY bird bath can be:
- a large houseplant saucer;
- a serving tray;
- a large, shallow bowl;
- a saucepan lid;
- an inverted lamp base;
- a trash can cover;
- a pie plate, etc.
In fact, almost anything that holds water can become a bird bath!
Helpful Hint: You can place pebbles at the bottom of the bird bath to create a variety of depths, as each bird has its preference, from 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 8 cm).
Place your find on a pedestal (one you make yourself, obviously) or a stump or hang it from a branch or from the roof. Or just put it on the ground, a terrace or a deck. Do make sure that that it’s in the open: birds may be fearful of bathing if there is a place right nearby where a predator could be hiding.
Oh, and do wipe it down and change the water at least once a week to keep from spreading bird diseases!
Enjoy watching the birds visit your DIY bird bath!