Many birders think that only providing water in summer is enough. But, getting water in winter is more important for birds than in summer. Birds need to provide more effort to get water in freezing winter, which costs their energy.
In winter, birds prefer water more than a feeder, which contains their favorite seeds. The reason behind this is the water source narrows down.
According to NWF Naturalist David Mizejewski, “ If there isn’t much snowfall in your area, there is almost no water for birds which means a lot of trouble for birds. Also, wildlife and birds provide more importance in water in winter than hot summer days.”
So, you should try to provide fresh water in frozen weather though there are lots of obstacles.
Obstacles you might face while providing water in winter
First of all, you cannot use ceramic or cement-made birdbath, which you usually use on summer days. You should move them to a safer place. Otherwise, you will notice cracks and leakage in the birdbath. Another obstacle you might face is keeping the water melted.
Easy way to provide water for birds in winter
Plan a water source
- In urban areas, it is really hard to make a small pond for birds in the winter season. But, if you have enough space in your area, you can consider making a small pond. Believe me; it will not disappoint you. You will go to enjoy enormous bird species in your yard in the colder month of winter.
- However, if you are unwilling to make a small pond in your yard, you can get a heated bird bath. Our recommended bird bath will be API Heated Birdbath. It is made with weather-resistant plastic. Plus, the heating elements are hidden, which protects birds from getting in contact with it.
Prevents water from frozen
In winter, water is available everywhere for birds but in a frozen form. So, if your birdbath is frozen, it cannot serve its purpose. For this, you should always take steps to prevent bath water from freezing. You can follow the below steps:
- Place the bird bath in a sunny spot. It will keep the birdbath liquid.
- Introduce a heated birdbath in your yard.
- You can use a de-icer if you have a small pond for birds or a birdbath that does not come with any feature that prevents frozen water.
- Always try to keep the bath full as it takes time to form ice a large amount of time.
Choose the location
If you can choose three birdbath places, you can invite all kinds of birds into your yards.
- Under the tree: Most birds like to drink water from the cover. If you provide water near the tree, it will easily attract those species.
- Open area: Not all birds like to take water from under trees. They prefer an open area rather than a shady one.
- Near the brush: Most small birds like to take shelter in a brush before going to a birdbath. You can place a birdbath near the brush, which easily attracts them.
However, in the winter, open areas are a good option. Many birds quickly see it from a long distance. Also, the sun helps to keep the water liquid.
So, if you are planning to provide a single water source, you should select the place which gets direct sunlight and is visible to birds from far.
Add stone to a water source
After introducing a water source, you should consider one thing, which is accessibility. Most of the time, birds cannot take the real benefits from an artificial water source due to the perching issue and depth of the water.
If the water source is deep for small birds, you should place some stones on the water source. The stones make it easy for them to drink water and take a bath in the colder month.
Clean the birdbath
This applies to any weather condition. You should always clean the birdbath to prevent any germs. Otherwise, you will cause of spread many health issues among birds. So, always keep the birdbath clean and provide fresh water.
Avoid using anti-freezer
To prevent freezing, you should avoid using any kind of anti-freeze, salts, or other chemicals like glycerin: those artificial anti-freezes impact badly on birds.
Final thought
I hope you have enough resources to provide water for birds in winter. Providing water birds in winter as much as in summer even you should introducing more water source in winter than summer. If you have any queries regarding this, fill free to ask in the comment section.
