DIY Bird Bath - Bird Watching Academy (2024)

Birds have always been eager to take a dive and splash around in water. Be it summer or winter, water has never failed to attract them. Bird watchers have been extremely careful about the fact. Most of them invest in lovely bird baths or craft a DIY bird bath to welcome their funky friends.

But do you know that science has yet not come up with a reason to back the importance of bathing for birds? As of now, the consensus is that bathing helps birds keep their feathers in better condition.

Therefore, despite all uncertainties, it becomes needless to say that if you wish to welcome the groovy, winged visitors to your yard, you must provide them with a space to cool off. In this article, let’s focus on the multifarious ways of putting together a simple yet elegant DIY bird bath.

How Bathing Helps Birds?

Although there has not been any solid proof to explain exactly how bathing aids the birds, researchers have indulged in numerous experiments to find out the same. Birds kept away from bathing have been found to be clumsier fliers as compared to their contemporaries who had had the privilege to take a bath.

Moreover, it was also found that birds with a bath were more confident about their capacity to escape and went on to feed in regions where the air was infused with the call of predators. However, the birds without a bath showed reluctance to do so. This brings us to the conclusion that a refreshing dip goes way beyond just providing the birds with relief. It is crucial to their survival too.

Now, let’s go through some of the most interesting DIY bird bath ideas.

DIY Bird Bath Ideas

Topsy-Turvy Bird Bath

This is one of the most amusing ways of putting together a DIY bird bath. Constructing this not only allows you an extensive creative exploration but also grants you immense freedom in terms of the materials you choose and the style in which you want to design them.

To prepare this DIY bird bath, you can choose either terracotta or clay pots. The next step is to decide the arrangement of the pots. You can sprinkle your creativity here to enhance the aesthetics. Either stack them one above the other in a simple fashion or whip out a zigzag pattern. The disorderly stacked set of pots is certainly going to turn heads to your backyard. Top the pots with a spacious container and fill it with water. Don’t forget to add flower plants to the pots. The sprouting inflorescence will entice the little feisty creatures to your yard. Watch them suck nectar and freshen up by taking a dip in the water and sprawling in its coolness.

Rustic Lid Bird Bath

If your garden has swathes of muddy land interrupting patches of greenery or potted plants, then a basic bird bath will best compliment your outdoor design. Another advantage of this DIY bird bath is its commendable pocket-friendliness and ability to leverage the best out of the waste.

All you need to set it up are a few lids of your trash cans. Either splash brilliant colors on them to grab the attention of the feathered beings or squeeze your creative juice over them with whimsical patterns. Since the lids will be continuously exposed to the outside environment, galvanizing them will go a long way in enhancing their durability.

To make it more convenient for the birds, place them on a pile of rocks roughly stacked up. This will not require them to fly down a lot to access the water. Revel in the spunky company as you add a vintage touch to your backyard with the metal bird bath!

Tripod Bird Bath

This is one of the simplest DIY bird bath ideas you will ever come across. The minimalist arrangement will not only serve the purpose of giving the birds of your vicinity a place to rejuvenate but also will contribute towards ornamenting your outdoor setting.

Dig three holes in a triangular arrangement and place three rods in them. On top of it, place a dish and voila! You are done. To further adorn it, you can also add marble or mosaic stones to the bowl. Letting climbers wound around the sticks would definitely add to the aesthetics.

Inverted Pot Bird Bath

Making a homemade bird bath becomes all the more simple and entertaining if you have a couple of pots at your disposal. The material of the pots can be anything based on your choice.

Starting from mud to ceramic to terra cotta, you can pick up any variety and set about on a creative journey.

If the pots are of different sizes then you can place the inverted pots one above the other in a decreasing chronology of their sizes. However, if you have similar-sized pots also, we can help you put together a decorative bird bath. To proceed with the same, you need to place a pot on the ground and top it with an inverted pot.

This implies that the rim of both pots should completely align with each other. Once a sturdy column gets constructed for the DIY bird bath with the help of pots, you can place a lid, a saucer, or a bowl at the top and fill it with water for your feathered friends to take a plunge and relax!

To further adorn the setup, you can play with colors and patterns on the pots and saucers. If art is your forte, then you already know how to make it look gorgeous with a smart interplay of paint, stones, glass tiles, or any other prop repurposed for ornamentation.

Shallow Pan Bird Bath

Birds usually prefer shallow sources of water. Their preference can be attributed to their defense mechanism against predators. Although they want a refreshing dip, they are quite vigilant about the looming dangers. So shallow sources of water let them have a fun time, but at the same time allow them to take a quick flight as soon as they suspect a predator.

This brings us to our next DIY bird bath idea. To set it up, all you need is a shallow pan. You can find a salvaged one in your house itself or can pay a quick visit to the thrift shop to grab one. If you happen to find an old one in your house, make sure that it does not have holes in it. Next, you need a pedestal to place the pan on. You can always use an old tea boy or stool. However, if there is an abandoned sculpted column in your patio or garden, that can act as an embellished holder for the bird water section.

To enhance the appeal, you can plant dainty flowers around the pedestal and let vines grow along the length of the column or the legs of the teapoy. The more inviting your bird bath set up, the more diverse will be the flock in your yard.

Glass Bird Bath

If you want to add a classic touch to your yard, then putting together a sophisticated glass bird bath would do the job. Though it sounds to be an expensive affair, it is absolutely not so. Materials required to make this are available in almost every home.

Take a glass jar. It is a very common home decor accessory. So, you will not have a tough time spotting one. Fill it with marble stones to boost its appeal. You can replace marble stones with simple colored stones to bring about a more authentic look to your bird bath section in the yard. The whole point of filling the glass jar with colorful elements is to catch the attention of the flying birds and entice them into the comfort you have to offer. The jar acts as the pedestal on which the water section needs to be placed. To get that done, you can take approaches.

One way is to simply place a bowl or saucer on the jar and put the entire set up on a table, or a pile of inverted pots. This elevates the bird bath and increases the ease of the birds taking a quick dip.

Another way is to work towards a more complex and layered composition. That includes alternating jars with glass plates, bowls, and saucers. Instead of just placing them one above the other, try using an adhesive to set the composition together to prevent them from dismantling.

Things to Remember

There are a plethora of ways to build a lovely bird bath at home that can make people stop and stare at it. However, its elegance is not the singular factor that determines the variety of birds your yard or patio attracts. While adding this new element to your outdoor setting, it is extremely important to look into the multiple aspects based on birds’ preferences. Here are a few of them.

Reduce the Depth

Most birds love to wade through shallow sources of water. Therefore, keep this in mind while preparing the water section. Use a shallow bowl or saucer to enhance the convenience. However, if the basin has a greater depth, you can add a layer of gravel or colorful mosaic stones. In addition to increasing the aesthetics, it will give birds the freedom to decide the depth of their choice.

Make Sure It’s Not Too High

It is understandable that you would love to have a large bird bath at the center of your yard, a long pedestal, intricately embellished, flaunting the water section as its crown. However, it is important to make sure that the entire purpose of putting it together doesn’t get defied. Since birds are used to taking a dive into water sources, almost at the ground level, they look for the same in the bird bath you provide. To give them an aesthetic experience, don’t forget to keep it low.

Place it in a Shady Spot

One of the most important factors to keep in mind is the location of the bird bath. Despite that being an ornamental element, it should not always be placed at the center. The crux of constructing a bird bath is to give the birds a place to cool off.

So finding a shady spot and placing it there would be judicious. Water under direct sunlight heats up and becomes a cause of discomfort for the birds. Also, it leads to faster evaporation and the need to refill it at a greater frequency.

Be Particular About Cleanliness

It is evident that the bath basin will witness an accumulation of twigs, leaves, feathers, and fecal matter over the course of time. Therefore, it is important to keep a watch on it regularly and clean it when the need arises.

Fresh, clear water tends to attract more birds and also helps in retaining them for a longer period. Do not forget that even birds go by the first impression. So, if you want the funky beings to pay you a visit again, then make sure to give them a neat experience, the first time.

Place a Preening Perch

It is advisable to place a stick somewhere near the bird bath. Make sure that you don’t place the stick directly above it. This will act as a perching site for the birds and will also give them a place to preen after a refreshing shower. However, don’t fret if you see bird droppings on the stick.

Final Words

Hope this article helped you kindle the fire of creativity. Instead of buying a plain, cheap bird bath, you can craft a number of unique bird baths just by picking up the things at your disposal and wrapping them up with your innovative ideas.

Keeping some important factors like the location, depth, height, and cleanliness of the bird bath in mind will provide the added advantage of attracting as well as retaining a diverse flock. So, if you have read it all, then what are you waiting for? Go, embark on the exuberant journey of assembling your DIY bird bath.

You can set goals to bird-watch after you have placed your DIY bird bath in your backyard and record your results.

Ornithology