If you live in a climate with cold winters, your Hummingbirds and Morning Doves leave their nests and the comfort of your backyard to fly south every fall. While these and many more will leave, some will stay behind and brave the cold with you. Pigeons, Doves, Woodpeckers, Cardinals, and Finches do not migrate. What does that mean for them – exactly? Like all animals that stay through cold winters, birds have many winter obstacles to overcome. This is why a bird bath heater is essential.
You might think that birds don’t take baths in the winter, but that is simply not true. According to audubon.org, many birds do, in fact, bathe during the winter. There are two main reasons why:
- parasites
- warmth
Parasites & Warmth
First, Even in freezing temperatures, birds preen themselves to take care of any parasites that may damage their feathers – yes, birds are susceptible to parasites even in the winter. Not only will a clean bath take care of parasites, but it will also clean any dirt and debris. The dirt and debris cause holes in the feathers, taking away their protective seal – think of a blanket with holes in it. When the bird bathes, the holes mend, allowing the bird to stay warm.
Bathing in the snow
You may have seen birds playing in the snow, throwing it around as if they, too, wanted to enjoy the winter wonderland. What they’re actually doing is bathing. While an effective method, birds bathing in the snow can be dangerous. Being on the ground makes the bird susceptible to prey, and the freezing snow will lower their body temperature making it more difficult for them to move quickly, putting themselves at great risk.
The bird bath
Helping birds stay safe and warm is fun and easy. You can simply place a bowl of water out for them to drink, but in some temperatures, you’ll constantly be scraping ice off and refilling it. Not only that but having cold water for the birds to drink is not much different than the snow. It makes their bodies sluggish and susceptible to predators.
1. YaNovate Bird Bath Heater
70 Watt de-icer for bird baths and ponds
- 70W Thermostatically Controlled AC 120V 70W
- waterproof and rust to ensure the safety of birds.
- Heating cord is strong enough if birds peck at it.
- No spare parts
- The device should be completely covered by water
If you don’t already have a bird bath and would like to enjoy the company of birds and squirrels during the cold winter months, you can buy a bird bath with a built-in heater. There are two ways – free-standing or an attachment for balconies, condos, or patios. With either of these, you will help wildlife get through the winter and enjoy watching the birds play.
The mountable heated bird bath by Potey is a win-win. Not only will you provide a great water source, but there is room for a little birdseed as well. The Potey can be used in three separate ways. You can place it on the ground, which is not our recommended way since this will put the wildlife you’re attracting in preditors’ sight. It can also be mounted on a deck that is up to 2″ thick, and you can even mount it on a tree!
2. Potey Heated Bird Bath
Heated Bird Bath for Decks
- The textured edge makes it easy for birds to stand.
- Designed for both food, water, and bathing
- 120V 75W built-in heating element
- Install 3 ways – directly on the ground, mount on a tree using deck mount, or mount on upto a 2′ thick deck
- high-quality plastic is fade and weather resistant.
- Securely sealed heating element.
- The heating element is enclosed and sealed for security.
If you don’t want a bird bath that mounts, another option is the free-standing bird bath. With just a little space, they are the perfect solution, as you have more options for placing them. A few things you may want to consider when doing so.
First, as winter storms come through, your trees will likely lose branches and have icicles fall. Keeping the bird bath away from these areas will help your birds stay safe and cut down on keeping the bird bath clean.
Also, you are doing a great service by providing a place for your wildlife to grab a drink and some food, but you want to enjoy them as well. If you’re lucky enough to have an indoor or covered patio, you may want to grab a patio heater, make sure you’ve placed the bird bath where you can watch, sit back with a cup of cocoa, and enjoy!
3. Songbird Essentials Bird Bath
Standing Bird Bath
- The heater turns on at 32 degrees F
- 60 Watt
- The heating element is safely enclosed and sealed
- 1-3/8 Deep and 14-1/4 diameter.
- Guaranteed to -20 degrees F.
How not to clean a bird bath
How to clean a bird bath
Hose
Plain water will help keep your bird bath clean, but you’ll need consistency. For best results, place a sprayer on the highest pressure setting and spray for 10 to 15 seconds.
White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar or apple cider vinegar is not only nontoxic to birds, just like people, but it’s also actually good for them. For baby birds, it is known to help in healthy weight gain, and in adults, it hinders the growth of fungus and bacteria. Not only is it healthy, but it is a great cleaner. Dilute one part apple cider vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle. Spray on the surface, scrub, and rinse.
Placement
Where you place your bath is important to keep it clean. You want to keep it away from falling branches or where leaves may find their way in. If you have hanging bird feeders, don’t place it where food will drop in the water, or you’ll find yourself cleaning unnecessarily.
Dawn
Dawn dishwashing liquid has been known to take the grease out of dishes and wildlife. For cleaning purposes, it does everything from dishes to toilets and even bird baths. You can mix a little with hot water and spray it on the bath or pour it directly on the bath, scrub, and rinse.
For an added punch, mix one-part Dawn and one-part vinegar in a spray bottle – spray, scrub, and rinse.
Pennies
Copper is a natural remedy against algae, and pennies before 1982 were made of copper. Therefore, if you add a few of these pennies to your bird bath, you will naturally take care of any algae problems!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide will work the same way vinegar does. Mix it with one part hydrogen peroxide and one part water in a spray bottle. For a clean bath, spray, scrub, and rinse.
Baking Soda and hot water
How to make a safe heated bird bath
Conclusion