winter bird bath – MINDING MY P'S WITH Q

Fresh water is essential for the health of backyard birds in the winter. In cold weather my usual birdbaths are retired to prevent ice damage. To offer the birds water I spent two dollars at the local dollar store. I use an oil drip pan, on top of a deli tray for stability, and place this set-up on my bird bath fixture. It works great. To keep the water flowing through icy temperatures and snow I pour a pitcher of water on top about three times a day. Even in heavy winds the plastic birdbath holds firm.

Here’s a dove during yesterday’s snowstorm, getting a drink from the makeshift birdbath. I hope you can see through my window screen. No matter how quietly I try to sneak that window and screen up to photograph the birds, they are always wise to me, and quickly fly away.

*Added this tip after posting: My water pan (oil drip pan) is a 5. This plastic is considered safe for food storage. More info can be found here: Which Plastics are Safe for Food?

The backyard birds need water as well as food at this time of year. You can see from my photos how barren the landscape is in the Mid-Atlantic states by December. I put out a bit of food every day, and keep this stand-in birdbath refilled at least once per day.

A flexible plastic bowl from the dollar store works very well in place of my summer birdbaths. I’ve seen birds drinking and bathing in the water during this frigid weather.

Even though the water freezes solid overnight, the plastic has some give, and so far has not cracked. A concrete birdbath would likely crack and be ruined by the melt and thaw of wintertime water.

I accidentally created a birdbath by leaving a plastic bucket of gravel outdoors. This collects rainwater, giving small birds another place to drink.

Here’s an article form the Chicago Tribune with some good ideas for feeding/watering/sheltering backyard birds in the winter. Helping Birds Survive Winter in Your Backyard ~ Chicago Tribune