Bird baths and water features attract a greater variety of birds than any other backyard birding equipment. The Duncraft Hanging Glass Bird Bath The BestNest Copper Hummingbird Dripper Fountain The Duncraft Scallop Shell Bird Bath and stake The Perky-Pet Droplet Bird Waterer

After addressing your feeding station and nest boxes in the past two weeks’ articles, water features are the obvious next spring topic. Bird baths are, of course, simple water features, but you can add some useful features to any bird bath to make it a better water feature. For instance, attaching a dripper, a mister, or a solar fountain to a bird bath will upgrade its attraction to birds. Moving water provides sounds that migrating birds seek out as they arrive in an area, and it keeps local birds coming back for more fresh water and other feeding station delights.

You may have more than one bird bath – front and backyard versions – or you may have a water feature as part of your watery mix. Water features can be on the artistic side, as in the form of an ornate fountain or a fountain with a modern design; or it may be a natural-looking rock waterfall with a shallow basin or an artistic version of falling water. Waterfalls and fountains operate with a recirculating pump and sound of the moving water not only attracts more birds, it discourages mosquitos. Bird bath, fountain, waterfall, whatever your choice, they all provide important sources of fresh water for birds.

Providing water is an important way for you to benefit birds, and to attract the greatest variety of birds – especially during spring migration. Species that don’t usually visit feeders can regularly be attracted to a water feature, especially one that advertises with the sound of moving water.

A simple birdbath may be a great first addition to an office or other business setting – one that a boss and co-workers will welcome – no muss no fuss – except that it’s up to you to keep it filled with fresh water – simple enough. A decorative water feature can even be an attraction for customers to some businesses. When schools are back in session, a birdbath may be the best way to introduce students to backyard birding.

Like any other birding equipment, protect water features from mammalian predators by keeping your water feature elevated. This can be done relatively easily by using a hanging bird bath, a pedestal bird bath, or a deck-mounted birdbath. Waterers are another version of bird baths that resemble a hummingbird feeder with an open base for birds to easily access water, and they tend to come in hanging models.

Duncraft may have the largest selection of bird baths on the market, including a variety of new models – we were surprised and impressed and you will be too; see https://www.duncraft.com/index/page/category/category_id/215/name/All+Bird+Baths?view_all

Duncraft also offers a solar fountain at https://www.duncraft.com/Solar-Fountain-Pump-Kit and a dripper at https://www.duncraft.com/Erva-Universal-Dripper and misters at https://www.duncraft.com/Super-Easy-Water-Mister and https://www.duncraft.com/Avian-Rock-Mister

BestNest also offers an introduction to fountain bird baths at https://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/bird_baths_non_heated_standing.asp

Of course, visit your local birding store, such as a Wild Birds Unlimited store, to see what kinds of options they offer for your yard. Birders quickly learn that providing fresh water for birds is the simplest and cleanest way of attracting birds to your yard, business, and school. A water feature provides a great opportunity to add a bit of artistry to your feeding station, even in the form of a decorative bird bath. Then too, a water feature can be a central point of interest in your yard, surrounded by a native garden of ferns and flowering plants or rockwork. Give it some thought, do a little shipping, and enjoy the action at your water features this spring and beyond.

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