Birds need water for bathing and drinking, and ice-free water isn’t a concern until late fall, when solar-powered or electrically heated bird baths may be the only fresh water available to birds (Yellow Warbler photo by Paul Konrad). One of the variety of heated bird baths available, the Heated Pole Mount Bird Bath from Duncraft is fitted with a thermostatically controlled internal heater that keeps water ice-free down to minus 20 degrees. A Chord Shield has an interior gasket locks out moisture and provides a safe chord connection for any outdoor application.

Birds need water for drinking and bathing throughout the year, and by simply providing fresh water for birds in your yard, you will attract the most diverse variety of birds to enjoy during any season. As temperatures become cooler and cooler this fall, birders in the northern latitudes are reminded that it’s time to think about how to keep bird bath water ice-free. It’s actually pretty simple, you have a number of options, and providing water during cold weather months is an important part of providing an all-in-one feeding station for birds during late fall and winter.

In the sunbelt there are the lucky birders who never have ice in their bird baths – that’s a big plus. Even so, you may want to add a dripper, mini-fountain, or water wiggler to your bird bath to keep the water moving – the sound of water helps new birds find your water and feeding station when they arrive in your neighborhood.

In some areas of the southern states, birders will experience freezing temperatures periodically, and that’s when solar-powered bird bath accessories can keep ice from forming during sunny, but not-too-cold days. Try using a solar heater, a solar fountain, or a solar water wiggler. These helpful non-electric devices can also be used during fall and spring up north when temperatures warm to a temperate level, but the solar water heaters on the market really aren’t meant for northern winter temperatures.

The Best Option

Where freezing temperatures are part of the late fall and winter climate, you can most effectively provide ice-free water for birds by using a bird bath with a built-in electric heater. The heating element is literally built into the birdbath’s construction, so the only thing that indicates there is an electric element to the bird bath is the electric cord.

These heated bird baths clearly provide the best option for keeping water ice-free during winter. They tend to run on 60 or 75 watts of power, are thermostatically controlled to reduce their use of electricity, and they can even keep water ice-free in the extremes of below zero weather. A secondary interest is that electrically heated bird baths can be used during all 4 seasons – just unplug the electric cord during ice-free months.

Safety First

Of course, there are safety factors to keep in mind any time electricity and water (including rain, ice, and snow) are combined, but there is an excellent safety feature to utilize – a safety cord connector. “Safety cord connectors,” sometimes referred to as a “cord shield,” ensure your outdoor electrical plugs are enclosed in a water-tight case; and these connectors also ensure the 2 electric plugs stay safely linked and don’t pull apart.

Some Options to Consider

When shopping for a heated bird bath, it’s best to choose one that’s mounted on a pedestal or that can be attached to a deck or post. We don’t suggest ground-based bird baths because it’s too easy for a feral cat to access visiting birds – and an elevated bird bath provides a better view for you to see all the avian action.

We also don’t suggest using an external heater or de-icer, although if they work for you, we wouldn’t argue that option. However, if you use an external heater, it is important to use a bird bath basin that is made from ceramic, clay, or an appropriate resin-based bowl that can withstand the effect of the heater.

Products

We took a look at the variety of heated bird baths currently on the market, and found that Duncraft and BestNest each provide a fine selection of electrically heated bird baths. To review the selection of Duncraft’s pedestal and deck-mounted heated bird baths, see Heated Baths & Heaters (duncraft.com) and BestNest’s heated bird baths are available at Standing Heated Bird Baths at BestNest.com!

BestNest and Duncraft both offer a model of safety chord connector; check out BestNest’s model at Allied Precision Clickshield Cord Connector, Black at BestNest.com and see the Duncraft cord shield at Duncraft.com: Cord Shield

Duncraft also offers several solar-powered bird bath accessories that keep water moving, making it less apt to freeze in not so cold, sunny locations. Solar Fountains and Water Wigglers offer the added attraction of the sound of moving water that helps new birds find your water feature during any season; see Solar Powered Bird Baths (duncraft.com)

Your bird bath or other water feature will surely be the hit of the neighborhood for birds during cold-weather months, and you will be providing an essential element for the well-being of wintering birds – fresh ice-free water. Enjoy the birds, and appreciate that you may be providing the only ice-free water in the area that birds can rely upon during the most stressful periods of the year – your efforts on behalf of birds are truly commendable.

Share your backyard birding experiences and photographs with The Birding Wire at editorstbw2@gmail.com