Bird baths are a great way to attract birds to your yard and provide them with a place to drink, bathe and cool off. Installing a bird bath brings the joy of watching birds up close as they display interesting behaviors at the bath. However, bird baths don’t just attract birds! Let’s explore what else these popular backyard features bring to your garden.
Birds
The main purpose of bird baths is to give birds a source of water for drinking and bathing. All types of birds will congregate at bird baths to fulfil these basic needs. Some of the most common visitors at bird baths include:
- Sparrows
- Finches
- Robins
- Cardinals
- Chickadees
- Juncos
- Blue jays
- Mourning doves
- Woodpeckers
- Hummingbirds
Bird baths attract all varieties of birds, both large and small. Platform bird baths or those placed directly on the ground tend to attract the most diversity of birds. Elevated baths on stands appeal more to small songbirds.
To get started attracting birds, choose a wide, shallow bowl or dish and place it on the ground or mounted on a stand. Keep it filled with clean, fresh water daily. It’s best to situate it near trees or shrubs where birds can perch before approaching. Once birds find it, you’ll love watching them splash, drink and interact!
Squirrels
Bird baths often attract thirsty squirrels in addition to birds. Squirrels need water just like birds so they will take advantage of any outdoor water sources. Gray squirrels, red squirrels, flying squirrels and chipmunks may all visit your bird bath.
Squirrels are agile creatures that have no problem climbing up to elevated bird baths. You may see them sitting in the bowl drinking water or playing in the water. Bird baths make amusing water parks for frolicking squirrels!
While squirrels can be entertaining to watch, they can also deter birds from using the bath. Squirrels are larger and bolder and can intimidate birds. If you want to discourage squirrel use, try placing a slick surface over the rim of the bath or choosing a standing bath with a dome top. This makes it harder for squirrels to climb up.
Butterflies & Bees
Butterflies and bees are also attracted to the shallow water offered in bird baths. On hot days, butterflies may gather around a bird bath to get a drink and nourish themselves with salts and minerals dissolved in the water.
Certain butterflies like to puddle, sucking up water and then excreting it to extract nutrients. Bird baths provide ideal spots for this behavior. You may see colorful butterflies like monarchs, swallowtails and sulphurs congregating at wet edges.
Bees will also dip down to the water surface to get drinks. This is especially important for providing hydration on hot, dry days. Try adding a few rocks or stones in the water for butterflies and bees to perch on while drinking.
Spiders & Insects
A bird bath filled with water can be an oasis for all types of insects, spiders and other small critters. Here are some of the tiny creatures that may take up residence around a bird bath:
- Mosquitoes – They lay eggs in standing water.
- Ants – They crawl on the bath to drink and gather food.
- Spiders – They build webs above or below.
- Dragonflies – They lay eggs in the water.
- Beetles – Scavengers go where the birds are.
- Flies & gnats – Attracted to the wet mud.
To deter insects and spiders, change the bird bath water daily and scrub clean weekly. Avoid using pesticides or chemicals, as these can be harmful to birds. You can also add a small fountain or bubbler to keep water moving.
Cats
Outdoor and feral cats are often drawn to bird baths to get a drink of water. Cats seem to be fascinated by moving water and enjoy playing in it too.
But cats also come to bird baths to hunt. Bird baths attract birds, making them ideal hunting grounds for cats looking for an easy meal. Cats may hide in nearby bushes and snatch unsuspecting birds from the bath’s edge.
To discourage cats, place prickly plants or rocks around the perimeter of the bath. Elevated, dome-topped baths are harder for cats to access as well. Scarecrows or statues near the bath can also deter cats.
Raccoons & Opossums
Raccoons and opossums are nocturnal creatures that become active and seek food at night. They are attracted to bird baths, where they come to drink water and look for fallen bird food or eggs to eat.
These messy mammalian visitors often leave behind droppings and muddy footprints all around the bird bath. They may also tip over the bath or scratch up the sides.
To prevent nighttime mammal issues, bring the bath inside at night or install a motion-activated sprinkler nearby. Using a heavy bowl or mounting it on a boulder can make the bath harder to tip over.
Frogs & Toads
Bird baths filled with water provide an ideal spot for frogs and toads to lay eggs and reproduce. Frogs lay egg clusters that look like bunches of clear gelatin, while toad eggs appear more as a thin sheen or surface film.
Tadpoles will hatch and develop in the water, providing a mini ecosystem inside the bird bath. The young amphibians feed on algae, insect larvae and organic debris in the water.
If you don’t want frogs laying eggs in the bath, change the water daily and scrub clean. Adding a fountain circulation system can also deter egg laying while still providing drinking water.
Rodents
Bird seed, nuts and other bird food inevitably gets spilled around bird baths, attracting hungry rodents. Mice, rats, voles and chipmunks come to scavenge the area for fallen food. They will also drink from the bath water.
Rodents can be problematic, as they may chew through any plastic bath tubing, damage concrete baths or leave droppings behind. They may also scare away more desirable bird visitors.
Keep the area around the bird bath clean and clear of leftover food scraps. Use a heavy concrete, ceramic or metal bath that rodents can’t easily topple or chew through. Scatter pine cones, hot pepper powder or strong scents to deter them.
Snakes
Snakes are attracted to bird baths seeking food, water and shelter. Garter snakes, rat snakes, kingsnakes and milk snakes may visit backyard bird baths in search of drinks and prey like frogs, mice and birds.
Baby snakes hatching from eggs hidden in garden beds may also gravitate toward a bird bath as a first water source. Birds tend to flee when they spot a snake, so their bath gets taken over.
To keep snakes away, install a plastic owl statue or wind chime nearby to scare them off. Keep the area around the bath open and clear of debris piles where snakes hide. Change the water frequently so frogs and rodents don’t congregate.
Larger Animals
In some cases, larger animals such as foxes, deer, bears, bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions may visit backyard bird baths when other natural water sources are not available. This is more common in rural areas near wildlife habitats.
Bird baths certainly aren’t intended for wildlife this large, but very little will stop a thirsty bear or deer. The best solution is taking the bath inside at night when large animals roam. Motion-activated sprinklers can also help scare them away.
Pets
Your pets, particularly dogs and outdoor cats, will likely drink, play and splash in a backyard bird bath whenever they get the chance. Dogs seem to love playing in and tipping over bird baths.
While amusing, pets can frighten wild birds away and prevent them from using the bath. They may also damage concrete baths by scratching or chewing on them.
Keep pets away from the bird bath by installing a protective fence or stones around the perimeter. Place it in an elevated spot that dogs can’t access. Bring the bath inside if necessary when pets are outdoors.
Contaminants
Along with animals, bird baths can attract some unwanted contaminants into your yard. Here are some to be aware of:
- Algae – Excess nutrients encourage green algal growth.
- Mold – Slimy mold thrives in the moist bath conditions.
- Mosquitoes – They breed in stagnant, standing water.
- Bacteria – Salmonella and E. coli live in bird droppings.
- Litter – Wind blows trash and debris into the water.
- Fertilizers – Chemicals from lawns leach into the bath.
- Sediment – Dirt clouds up the formerly clear water.
To prevent contamination, change the water and clean the bath thoroughly each week. Avoid using detergents, just scrub with a brush and plain water. Keep the bath filled and topped off. Also filter the water using a small fountain pump.
Preventing Unwanted Visitors
If some of these bird bath visitors are more bothersome than welcome, there are things you can do to discourage them:
- Use a bird bath with a dome, hood or cover to limit access.
- Place prickly plants or rocks around the perimeter.
- Install a water spray, sprinkler or scarecrow to scare certain animals.
- Choose a heavy basin that’s hard to tip over or damage.
- Situate it in an open area away from nesting spots and debris.
- Elevate it on a pedestal to make it hard to reach.
- Add a small fountain pump to keep water moving.
The sight and sound of moving water can deter some unwanted guests. Be sure to bring the bath inside at night when necessary and clean it thoroughly on a weekly basis.
Conclusion
While a bird bath is intended for our feathered friends, it often attracts all kinds of critters! With proper placement and care, you can minimize unwanted guests and keep the focus on beautiful bathing birds. Their songs, antics and colors bring life to any garden.