Attracting Birds to your Yard with a Bird Bath from Schmeg.com

  

WATER-

The final requirement, water, can be the simplest or the most challenging of the three basics to provide. A traditional pedestal birdbath is relatively inexpen sive and can be set up in a few minutes. Like a small bird feeder, it will serve the needs of a transient population of birds; how many depends on your area. At the other end of the spectrum is a backyard pond, fully integrated into a naturally landscaped wildlife habitat and garden. A pond involves considerable planning and labor, but the rewards are also considerable, for you as well as the birds.

Effective birdbaths offer the same features as the ones provided by nature-puddles. The bottom slopes gently, so that birds can find a depth at which they feel comfortable-a fraction of an inch for some. A small "island" partially submerged in the middle of the water can provide shallow wad ing if your "bath" has sides that slope too steeply. Not all puddles are on the ground, and birdbaths can be at any height. Raised above the ground they make bird watching more difficult for feline stalkers and easier for human voyeurs.

Birds are at a protective disadvantage when bathing or drinking, so locate their water in an open area where they can see predators coming in any direction. Some shrubby cover 10 to 15 ft. away may be appreciated for a quick escape when the cat is on the prowl or as a perch while preening wet feathers.

All sorts of shallow receptacles can be pressed into service as birdbaths. Once you've satisfied the birds' requirements, feel free to please yourself-a large steel disk from a farmer's disk harrow is surprisingly elegant. Birds appreciate fresh, clear water as much as we do, so bear in mind that you'll need to replace stale or dirty water, and make up for evaporation. Making a drip-feed bath or trickle waterfall can answer most of those needs as well as being a delight in itself. Such creations range from a dripping garden hose to a re-circulating pump feeding an elaborate landscaped pool and waterfall.

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