During the winter plenty of people feed birds but not as many folks make sure birds have fresh water. Birds need water year round and during the winter when most of water is frozen birds can have a hard time. A benefit for you is that you may get to see some new birds. Many birds don’t visit bird feeders, eating insects instead but all birds will visit a water source.
You can technically pour heated water into your birdbath and break up the ice daily but that’s a bother. You could also place fresh water out in a plastic bin a few times a day, also a big bother.
Better options include placing an electric heating element in the bird bath water – these are made to be submerged and they don’t cost too much. You can also buy a fully heated bird bath – these come in all sorts of shapes and sizes from typical pedestal, to deck mounted, to ground level baths. Heated bird baths vary greatly in cost depending on size and materials, but you can find plenty of options for under $100. Another option, the best in my opinion is a solar powered heated bird bath.
Solar heated baths cost more than other types but when you consider that you don’t pay for energy or have to unplug them or have to have an accessible outdoor outlet plus an outdoor extension cord a solar powered option starts to sound much more manageable and easy than an electric powered version.
Check out Birdbath.com or Birdwatching.com to find some good bird bath heating options.
[image via stock.xchng]
Post from: Blisstree