Many people put food out for birds, but fewer
provide a regular supply of clean water. Birds need water for
drinking and bathing. Water is particularly important during the
winter when natural supplies may be frozen, and in dry weather
during the summer.
Birds get the liquid they need from their
food, and by drinking. Many insectivorous birds get most of
their water from food, while seed-eating birds have a dry diet
and they need to drink more. Since birds have no sweat glands,
they need less water than mammals. However, they do lose water
through respiration, and in their droppings. Most small birds
need to drink at least twice a day to replace the lost water.
Birds drink from the shallow edges of ponds and streams. Woodland birds may drink
water droplets on leaves. Aerial species such as swallows and
swifts will swoop down onto a water body and scoop up a billful
while in flight. Most birds drink by dipping their bill in water
and throwing their head back to swallow. Pigeons and doves are
able to immerse their bills and drink continuously.
Water to bathe in is equally important,
especially in winter. It is essential that birds keep their
feathers in good condition, and bathing is an important part of
feather maintenance. Dampening the feathers loosens the dirt and
makes the feathers easier to preen. When preening, the bird
carefully rearranges the feathers and spreads oil from the preen
gland so they remain waterproof and trap an insulating layer of
air underneath.
Bird baths
There are many ways of providing water in the garden. The
simplest way is a bird bath. This is essentially a dish of water
that needs to be functional - the aesthetic aspects are there to
please us, not the birds.
A good bird bath has a simple, sturdy
construction, but is light enough to make it easy to clean and
refill. It needs to have shallow sloping sides with a shallow
approach to water. Water depth needs to range at 2.5-10 cm (1-4
inches) to allow each species bathe at their preferred depth.
The surface of the bath must be rough so birds can grip it with
their claws and not slip. It should be large enough to hold
sufficient water to withstand a vigorous bathing session by a
flock of starlings.
The simplest bird bath is a large dish. A
plant saucer with textured finish and a stone in the middle is
the easiest. A dustbin lid needs to be either sunk into the
ground or supported on stones or posts. If the lid is shiny or
slippery, a thin layer of gravel on the bottom (though this
makes it more difficult to clean), and a shallow stone in the
middle will help birds get to the water comfortably. Concrete
baths can be made by digging a hole of the desired size and
shape, and lining this with concrete. Once the concrete has set,
the bath can be removed, trimmed, and placed in the final
location. If you prefer a custom made bird bath, these are
available from the RSPB, many specialist suppliers, and from
garden centres.
The location of your garden and the type of
vegetation immediately around it will determine what birds will
visit your bird bath, and in what numbers. Siting of the bath is
very important - birds will only use it if they feel safe. Birds
get excited and pre-occupied about bathing, and tend to be more
vulnerable than at other times. Birds will need to have clear
visibility as they bathe, nearby bushes or trees to provide
cover if alarmed, and perches to use when preening. Ensure cats
cannot use the cover to attack bathing birds. This can be done,
for instance, by placing a thick layer of clippings from thorny
vegetation, such as rose or Pyracantha, beneath the bushes. Try
placing the bath at different points around the garden to find
the most popular site.
During droughts birds will try to use water
barrels or drinking troughs. Sadly, many drown. If these
containers cannot be covered, they can be made safer if a plank
of wood or a branch is placed in the water so that birds can
land, drink and even partially bathe in safety.
Keeping water clean
Bird baths must be cleaned regularly as they soon build up a
layer of algae, dead leaves or bird droppings. Give the bath a
thorough clean every week or so. Scrub the sides and bottom to
remove algae and other dirt. You can use dilute household
disinfectants, but make sure that you rinse the bath out
thoroughly to remove any traces of chemicals. There are two
non-toxic products on the market, ‘Enviroclens’ and
‘Crystal’, which can be used to clean bird baths.
Ponds
If your garden is large enough, a pond will provide both water
for the birds, and an interesting wildlife habitat in its own
right. It often attracts shyer species that don’t use bird
baths. Dig a suitably sized hole, sloping gradually to a shallow
end. Cover the surface with 5 cm (2 inches) of sand before
laying a sheet of 1,000 gauge polythene or butyl rubber sheeting
into the hole, allowing 50 cm spare around the edge. Place a
layer of soil over the bottom of the pond to allow plants to
grow and cover the edge with soil and turf. A gravel ‘beach’
in the shallow end gives birds easy access to the water. Stock
your pond with natural plants and place a branch in the water or
allow a bush to overhang to encourage shyer birds to visit.
