I’ve probably never met a gardener who didn’t also enjoy the delightful sounds and sights of warblers, wrens, bluebirds and thrushes in their garden.
A healthy, diverse garden will always encourage a few feathered friends, but the abundance of birds will be far greater with just a little planning.
In local gardens it is fresh water that is the most overlooked ingredient in a bird friendly garden. In our arid, summer-dry climate it is fresh water that may do more to attract birds to a summer garden than anything else. Unlike bird feeders and bird houses, which are specific to certain birds, fresh water is enjoyed by almost all birds: orioles, doves, hummingbirds, flycatchers, wrens, woodpeckers, finches, sparrows and more – and it’s free.
Wild birds need a continuous supply of fresh clean water at all times of the year, both for drinking and bathing. A source of water can dramatically increase the number of wild birds you attract in your backyard. Birds that may not visit your feeder or bird houses will come to your water supply.
In my own garden I supply fresh water in a shallow tray, out of reach of cats. My method is inexpensive to make, natural in appearance and can be assembled by almost anyone in less than an hour.
Here’s a simple, effective way to add fresh water and attract even more birds to your garden:
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Purchase a 4” post. I prefer Trex lumber which is rot resistant and hollow (available at lumberyards like Ganahl). Cut it to about 5 feet and sink 18 inches into the soil. |
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Buy a terracotta saucer at least 20 inches in diameter, 24 or 30 inches is even better and will support several birds at one time. It does not need to be glazed. |
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I found a piece of plastic drain pipe that fit perfectly inside the hollow post. A section of a thick wooden tree stake or wood dowel could also be used. Cut it to about 12 inches. |
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Glue the section to the bottom center of the saucer. This will prevent the saucer from falling off if hit by a child, a cat or a daydreaming gardener. |
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Just fill the tray with water and change it once a week or as needed. A few dark stones or pebbles in the bottom will make the water even more invitinga |
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I made two trays, one for seed and one for water at slightly different heights. This allows me to adjust to extra seed or extra water as the seasons change |
It is important when adding a water supply that the water depth is no more than a couple of inches deep and that the edge has a gentle slope, so birds can land and then wade slowly into the water. Anything deeper and birds will avoid it. My simple terracotta tray makes it a snap to occasionally remove the top and give it a scrub. The rough bottom surface also gives birds better footing than does a slippery glazed surface.
Birds are attracted to the sound of dripping water or by movement on the surface of water. A dripper can be made out of an old one liter soda bottle pricked with a needle and concealed in a tree overhanging the water. Perhaps I’ll explain making one of these in a future column.
In my terracotta saucer I later added a “water wiggler” to the center. The ripples caused by these devices draw birds to the water like a magnet. This simple device sits in the center of the water and creates little ripples as it spins. These inexpensive devices are available at wild bird specialty stores and operate for about six months on two D-cell batteries.