Help Birds Stay Hydrated In The Cold With A Simple Alternative Bird Bath

While it may not sound like fun to take a dip outdoors when there's snow on the ground, for birds, it's still a necessity. Birds appreciate winter water sources to not only stay hydrated but also to bathe. Bird baths (and other bath-worthy water sources) allow birds to cleanse and maintain their feathers, which is very important in helping them stay insulated in winter. The bathing process also helps birds get rid of dirt and parasites, so it's a good idea to still keep that bird bath full of fresh water even when temperatures drop. You could invest in a heated birdbath to keep the water from freezing, but simply using a black or dark saucer or birdbath basin could help the water stay free of ice and warmer longer.

Adding a few dark-colored rocks to the vessel also helps retain heat and prevent ice, especially if the bird bath is in direct sunlight for at least part of the day. During warm months, it's best to keep a bird bath out of direct sunlight to prevent algae buildup and to keep the water cool, but in winter, that sun-warmed water is an oasis for birds that need a place to bathe. 

A dark-colored birdbath absorbs heat and then retains it a bit better than a light-colored one; it's not that different from how walking on a black asphalt surface on a sunny summer day can feel a lot hotter than walking on concrete or in a shaded area on that same day. The good news is that you don't have to find an actual birdbath in black; any dark vessel that holds water and is relatively shallow can serve as the birdbath basin.

One bird bath feature that makes a more comfortable environment for your feathered friends is a good foothold in the water; this can be in the form of texture, or from the dark-colored rocks you add to retain heat. If you aren't sure whether to make your new birdbath a hanging version, a pedestal bird bath, or one that you leave at ground level, here's how to decide which bird bath option is best for your yard.

While dark colors alone won't stop your bird bath from freezing when temperatures drop to the single digits, it could prolong the freezing process when the temperatures get low. Adding a float, such as a ping pong ball or slightly heavier ball, also helps, since it moves around in even a slight breeze, breaking up potential ice when it's just starting to form a thin skin on the surface. Placing a hand warmer packet underneath the basin (but not in it) also helps the water stay warm longer during cold weather. If you don't mind going outdoors a few times a day during extra cold weather, adding warm, but never boiling, water to the bird bath also helps.