How to Build a Bird Bath
Decide where to place your bird bath., Place a wooden post in the ground., Secure the bird bath on the post.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide where to place your bird bath.
Birds must be able to easily access the bath while feeling safe.
Do not place the bird bath too close to brush.
Cats are natural predators of birds, and because they can easily hide in nearby brush, birds are likely to avoid proximity to these plantings.
Keep the bird bath out of wide-open areas, because hawks can swoop down from a high-glide and capture birds out in the open, birds will not frequent a bath without access to protected areas.
Place your bird bath in a location that gets midday shade (around 1:00 p.m.).
Some sun is important; seek a balance of lighting to ensure you build a bird bath the birds want to visit. -
Step 2: Place a wooden post in the ground.
For this simple bird bath design, a mailbox post (or comparable) will do.
Dig a hole where you want to place your bird bath using a shovel.
The hole should be large enough to seat the post.
Seat the post (you can seat it in concrete or the dirt).
Fill in the dirt around the base of the post.
Build up a mound of dirt at its base for additional stability.
Pack the dirt down with the shovel or your hands, or by stepping on it, to ensure that the post continues to stand straight. , You can use anything that will hold water: a terracotta pan, a garbage bin lid or a concave stone.
Something with a lid or edge is best, as it will provide the birds somewhere to stand.
Some might advise you to screw the bird bath to the post permanently, but securing the pan so it can't be removed prevents proper cleaning.
You need to be able to remove the pan to change water and clean the pan.
This is important for the health of the birds.
If you don't keep the bath scrupulously clean daily, you could be getting birds very sick, and even killing them.
Place a rock in the pan for added stability.
This will be especially important for lighter-weight pans, such as an aluminium garbage pan lid.
It also provides birds another place to stand other than the edge of the pan.
The rock is important for small birds like sparrows who can't reach from the edge, and are afraid to jump into the water.
But place the rock close to the edge not in the middle.
Because large birds, like robins love to flap their wings, and the rock will impede this if it is in the middle. -
Step 3: Secure the bird bath on the post.
Detailed Guide
Birds must be able to easily access the bath while feeling safe.
Do not place the bird bath too close to brush.
Cats are natural predators of birds, and because they can easily hide in nearby brush, birds are likely to avoid proximity to these plantings.
Keep the bird bath out of wide-open areas, because hawks can swoop down from a high-glide and capture birds out in the open, birds will not frequent a bath without access to protected areas.
Place your bird bath in a location that gets midday shade (around 1:00 p.m.).
Some sun is important; seek a balance of lighting to ensure you build a bird bath the birds want to visit.
For this simple bird bath design, a mailbox post (or comparable) will do.
Dig a hole where you want to place your bird bath using a shovel.
The hole should be large enough to seat the post.
Seat the post (you can seat it in concrete or the dirt).
Fill in the dirt around the base of the post.
Build up a mound of dirt at its base for additional stability.
Pack the dirt down with the shovel or your hands, or by stepping on it, to ensure that the post continues to stand straight. , You can use anything that will hold water: a terracotta pan, a garbage bin lid or a concave stone.
Something with a lid or edge is best, as it will provide the birds somewhere to stand.
Some might advise you to screw the bird bath to the post permanently, but securing the pan so it can't be removed prevents proper cleaning.
You need to be able to remove the pan to change water and clean the pan.
This is important for the health of the birds.
If you don't keep the bath scrupulously clean daily, you could be getting birds very sick, and even killing them.
Place a rock in the pan for added stability.
This will be especially important for lighter-weight pans, such as an aluminium garbage pan lid.
It also provides birds another place to stand other than the edge of the pan.
The rock is important for small birds like sparrows who can't reach from the edge, and are afraid to jump into the water.
But place the rock close to the edge not in the middle.
Because large birds, like robins love to flap their wings, and the rock will impede this if it is in the middle.
About the Author
Kevin Jordan
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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