How To Improve A Regular Birdbath To Help Attract More Hummingbirds

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Keeping fresh water in a birdbath is one simple hack to get more birds to flock to your yard, but there's a little more to it than that. Sure, many bird species enjoy visiting birdbaths, but some need a little more assurance before dipping a toe in the water. Hummingbirds in particular need a little extra coaxing, as the typical birdbath bowl is too deep for them to safely enjoy. They're not really looking to dunk their entire bodies into the water like some larger bird species do. Instead,  hummingbirds prefer a gentle mist or stream of water, either to fly through or to rub up against in a safe, shallow environment. 

Adding features to create streams, mists, or drips of water in your existing birdbath could bring in the hummingbirds, but first, they need safe places to perch without being submerged. Place some stones or pebbles in the bath that stick out of the water a little — this gives the hummingbirds a place to stand in the basin so they can better enjoy the forthcoming water features. Those same stones add some texture and a foothold to make a birdbath more comfortable for all your backyard feathered friends. 

Once you've provided some resting areas for hummingbirds, add an inexpensive fountain pump with a spray feature to keep those hummers happy. A circular solar birdbath fountain, such as the Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Pump, is one of the simplest ways to get your birdbath to spray water upwards. This type of fountain pump has the solar panels built in, with the fountain nozzle in the center. Assorted nozzle heads allow you to control how far the water shoots up, the number of streams, and how thin the streams are. Thin streams create sprinkler-like sprays that hummingbirds may fly through, and some may even rest on the solar panels. This type of disc fountain floats, so it could work even if the center of the birdbath is deep. 

A different style of solar fountain pump has the solar panels connected by cord, allowing you to keep the birdbath in the shade and the panels in the sun. Either type of fountain pump may have a spray head that creates a bit of a mist, which hummingbirds absolutely love, since the water is gentle. A well-placed mister feature that attaches to a garden hose keeps hummingbirds cool and hydrated as it adds mist to both the birdbath and nearby foliage, raining down in a natural manner that hummingbirds enjoy. 

Adding a dripper is another way to bring in the hummingbirds and other species, too. The sound of dripping water and the sight of ripples it creates in a birdbath entice numerous bird species.  Water that hits or at least sits near a rock or foliage on its way down to the birdbath attracts hummingbirds, as they can choose whether to access the drips directly, or to rub up against wet rocks and leaves.