The Type Of Birdbath Hummingbirds Are Absolutely Obsessed With

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Adding the right stunning plants will attract hummingbirds to your garden. But if you'd like to turn your outdoor space into even more of a hummingbird magnet, just add water. Like other bird species, hummingbirds enjoy water and need it to rinse off and maintain their bills and feathers. Much like children on a hot day, hummingbirds are even known to enjoy a quick zip through a sprinkler, which cools them off without completely soaking them. 

It's not practical to leave a lawn sprinkler running all day in hopes a hummingbird may find it. A birdbath, on the other hand, draws in all sorts of birds that serve as little helpers in the garden. A shallow birdbath — or a birdbath basin with rocks for birds to stand upon — is best for hummingbirds since they're small. The still, clean water is a welcome sight to a hummingbird, but what really piques their interest is moving water. A birdbath with the sounds and sights of moving water will attract hummingbirds and other bird species better than a birdbath with still water.

Some birdbaths come with fountain features built in, such as this Vingli Copper Resin Birdbath. However, it's easy to add your own moving water feature to an existing birdbath, too. It could be as simple as transforming a syrup bottle into a birdbath dripper that hangs above the basin and slowly drips water into it. More elaborate options have pumps and require a power source. Hummingbirds love when water drips onto nearby leaves or rocks, offering them the option to stand directly under the dripper or rub against nearby wet surfaces.

Solar-powered fountain pumps require no electrical outlets, so they're useful almost anywhere you might want to place the birdbath. Some solar options have the panel built right onto the pump assembly — just drop the puck into a full birdbath on a sunny day and watch the water shoot upwards. This type and other birdbath fountain pumps often come with a variety of nozzles to create fine mist, wider sprays, or a thick stream similar to a drinking fountain. 

Hummingbirds enjoy a place where they can stand in or near shallow water, though they might fly through thin streams of water that jet upwards like some lawn sprinklers. Other solar fountain pumps have the panels attached by a cord, so you're free to keep the bath in the shade while moving the solar panel to a sunny area. 

Mist-style birdbath features are a huge draw for hummingbirds, as a fine mist is gentle enough for these tiny birds. Hummingbirds also enjoy when the mist coats nearby plants like dew, as it seems natural. Some birdbath misters attach to a spigot, much like a garden hose. The base of the mister can be used in a traditional birdbath or set upon a flat rock with a shallow indentation in it to emulate a shallow bird-bathing area that might be found in the wild. For the ultimate fun, experiment with different moving water features in your birdbath to see which one the hummingbirds enjoy most.