The winter season is a challenging time for both the birds and the birder. For your feathered friends they will be exerting more effort and a significant amount of energy just to melt the snow to have something to drink. Drinking frozen water can also bring adverse effects to the body as it slows the bird down, leading them to be vulnerable to possible threats. As for the birder, you will need extra effort in maintaining your feeders and birdbath during this time of the year.
But how to keep bird bath from freezing? Winter birds also need water, but the problem with this season is that the birdbath tends to freeze, which means you need to do it differently to provide enough water supply to your feathered visitors. Our team is listing different ways that you can do to keep the birdbath from freezing during winter to give enough water sources for the visiting birds.
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Keeping the Bird Bath From Freezing
There are different ways that you can do to keep the birdbath from freezing. It consists of many methods that will keep it unfrozen during the summer. The effectiveness of these methods will all depend on the degree of coldness in your location.
Putting in a Strategic Location
During the winter season, the best location for a birdbath is a spot where the sunlight is accessible during the daytime. When the birdbath is exposed to solar heat, it will control the effects of the cold while preventing the birdbath from freezing, especially the water. You can even use a windbreak for added protection.
Adding Different Objects
You can put additional objects into the water to help prevent freezing. For example, you can put sticks and branches at strategic locations in your birdbath. This action will benefit the birds by having an additional place for the bird to stay aside from always keeping in the water. You can also add rocks in the water to help minimize the freezing effect inside the birdbath. The rock will break the water and can prevent it from freezing quickly. Birds will also use the rocks as perches once they visit.
Darken the Surface of the Birdbath
You can convert the color of the surface of the birdbath into something dark. Dark colors and evenobjects retain the heat well, which means it can help keep the birdbath from freezing. You can add a few block rocks or a sheet of black plastic to the surface of the birdbath basin. Doing all these small things can somehow reduce the effect of coldness and helps in keeping the birdbath from freezing.
Adding a Heater
You can use a heater built outdoor to help in keeping the birdbath from freezing. An outdoor-rated immersion heater will maintain the warmth of the water temperature, which will help in preventing the frozen effect of the cold temperature. However, you might need an electrical outlet and an extension cord when using this equipment but rest assured that it can keep the birdbath from freezing.
Invest in a Winter Birdbath
If you have the financial resources, installing a winter birdbath in your backyard can be a good idea. These are winter birdbaths that are designed to be effective in cold weather because this equipment comes with built-in heaters usually located in the basin so that the water will always stay liquid even if the temperature is going down.
The Power of Hot Water
Hot water can help in keeping the birdbath from freeing. In the morning, you can pour hot water into the frozen birdbath. Then, wait for the ice to slightly loosen a bit before removing it down. You can remove everything or replace the old water of the birdbath with new hot water. Doing this method will give the birds to take a bath or drink during the day. If it is too cold in your place, you can do this method multiple times daily.
By Using Hot Ash
Another unique way is to use hot ash from the fireplace to provide warmth and keep the birdbath from freezing. You can put the ashes in a metal bucket, then carefully a metal dish on top of the bucket and fill it with water. The hot ashes will help in keeping the water unfreeze for a while, which should be beneficial to the bird.
Make an Improvised Winter Birdbath
You can make a DIY birdbath that can take the freezing temperature outside. I know a friend who made a 5-gallon bucket into a winter birdbath. He covered the surface with carpet why filling half of it with gravel. Then he installs a 60-watt lightbulb inside the bucket and sets a dish of water on top. The lightbulb will provide warmth which will prevent the water from freezing.
Conclusion
The winter season can be a challenging time for both the birds and the birder. For this reason, it is important for the birder to learn how to keep bird bath from freezing. As a true friend of the birds, it is essential for you to show them that you care and you will help them provide for their needs, particularly water.
During this time, water sources will be scarce, and the birds will be exerting more effort when it comes to looking for the water they need to survive. But if you provide them with an unfreezing birdbath that they go to clean themselves and drink despite the freezing weather, expect the birds to keep coming back to your backyard despite the cold temperature.