Bird Delights: Birdbaths & Birdwatching Starter Guide

May 1, 2024

 

There’s more. Check out our follow-up micro blog, Bird Delights pt2: Home Suite Home, to see where to go next on your home birding journey.

 

If it’s one thing we all tend to love, it’s birds. Whether it’s the miracle of flight, the colorful feathers, or the morning orchestra, it’s hard not to find joy in the presence of birds. You may not be a Birder  so to speak, but seeing and hearing birds is just one of the simple beauties and joys of life. I often have the chance to see them fluttering around in puddles, ew, taking a well needed birdbaths in the early morning.

I’m not a Birder persay but I’ve known a few. They tell me that the chance to see a rare or just beautiful bird is often planned for. Time of day, distance from home and travel plans. It’s not uncommon for a birder to join a group and take weekend trips to see migrations during the spring and summer. Personally, I tend to have coffee and listen to them from the window of my apartment in the wee hours of the morning.

What if you could create a safe space for birds around your home and do your birdwatching from the patio or kitchen window? It’s not too complicated. You just have to build them a safe, inviting habitat on your land. Lets walk through the beginnings of that with a simple birdbath.

Introduction to Birdbaths

Three things that come to mind for that are,

  • Bird Feeders
  • BirdBaths
  • Bird Houses

Now although we tend to keep both feeders and baths around the office, this month, we talk about baths. We must get our feathered friends out of those street puddles. They deserve better. Especially since birdbaths take less care and maintenance than bird feeders. It’s also cheaper. So, if your new to garden décor and want a cost-effective entry point into not just décor, but garden habitat creation, a birdbath is a good starting point. It’s easy to set up and simple care will get going. Not to mention that if planned and set up properly, it’ll bring the birds to you. Once they come, you may want to get them some food or a home. First, let’s clean them up.

 

Setting Up Your Birdbaths

Birds will come to your birdbath for the water they need — for drinking and for grooming. While they’re hanging around, they will hunt for the insects and worms and seeds and flower parts they like to eat. YOU will get to watch all the “early bird” activity from the comfort of your garden.

Birdbaths need two main things to keep the avian aristocrats coming to the local bath like Roman Senators, clean water, and a cool relaxing location. This means you need to keep the birdbath in a place of shade or near shade and must clean the water roughly once a week. Make sure there’s no fecal matter or feathers floating around in the bath.

It’s best to dump the water and freshen it up then. You don’t want a lot of water either, just 2-4 inches in the middle of the bath basin. Best Practices suggest a tight 2.5 inches, but you should keep the typical size of you local birds. A Morning Dove (pigeon) is bigger than a sparrow and will need more water to fully bathe.

It’s not a bad idea to have two birdbaths of different water levels to accommodate smaller and larger birds honestly. 4 inches should be the limit though. Unless you live in pelican town. Then, well, all bets are off.

Don’t Burn the Birds

Next thing is to keep it out of direct sunlight. Robins don’t sunbath, people do. Birds want their birdbaths cool to the touch. Make sure you’re not preparing a freshwater chicken broth for our feathered friends to stay away from by keeping the birdbath out of direct sunlight and near a shade tree. Keeping it near a tree will also help them to see the birdbath as well. Keeping it under the tree, however, will help them go looking elsewhere. Birds like to spot things as they fly and make choices before touching down here on earth. Remind yourself that there needs to be a balance between shade and visibility.

Safety Considerations for Birdbaths

Now the one thing that’s going to take a bit of diligence from people like us is Predators. When birds land, they are super vulnerable to all types of predators. Creatures like snakes, stray dogs and your neighbor Sally’s house cat are all after Tweety and his friends. This may take some real thought as the last thing you want to see when sitting on your deck with the morning coffee is to see that side of nature as you sip your coffee. So as you decide where you’re going to place you “Jazmin”, Holly (Coming Soon) or the triplets “Kateryna” make sure you’ve done your best to put the birdbath in a safe place. You can’t stop nature from going nature, but you don’t have to make it easy. Just these few things right here and a keen eye for beautiful design will have you sipping your coffee, listening to Gods orchestra thinking…

3 metal birdbaths in antique copper finish with birds and ornate stands in garden

Kateryna Set of 3 Antique Copper Birdbaths with Ornate Stands

Full View of Antique White Angel with Bird Details Standing on a Rock with Rock Background

39 Tall Magnesium Angel Statue with Birdbath in Antique White, Jazmin

38" tall standing girl with bird mgo garden birdbath statue "Holly"

Pre-order: 38″ tall standing girl with bird mgo garden birdbath statue “holly”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I wonder if they have a matching birdfeeder?” Which we probably do. So, look around your garden and figure out where you want to begin you newly designed relationship with nature and come to us to see what beautiful pieces we have in store.

Like this 3’ 1” beauty named Gai.

Until next time enjoy nature, and check out our selection of decorative birdbaths here: Lesera Birdbaths and Browse our collection now.

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A Girl and Boy - Holding a Lantern, Candles- Has two birds sitting at their Feet and they are Wearing Winter Clothing
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collage of large blue acrylic angels in 6 assorted styles hanging ornaments
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left side of 1.7 feet tall iron rooster figurine leaning down as if to eat seed from the ground with his red comb on his head with his bright yellow feathers flowing down his back and his black and blue sickle feathers behind him standing on rocks in garden
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6 acrylic hummingbird pot stakes in 5 assorted color combinations with beads on long metal stake
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extra long iron rain chain featuring jumping fish and bell in antique copper finish
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Iron dragon swing stake with large open wings, wide open mouth and curled downward tail in silver-black metallic finish
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Sets of Assorted Long Hanging Acrylics with Colorful Gems
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17 in. Tall Sleeping Fairy Garden Statue "Ivy"
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full size image of 4 74 inch long garland with porcelain sailor balls and rope in red, light blue and black colors
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Classic galvanized metal Santa Claus figurine holding Merry Christmas sash
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37.8 Tall Frosted Silver Standing Polyresin Buddha Statue
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96 Long Antique Bronze Iron Rain Chain with Angels
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Six assorted circular copper wind chimes with nature scenes in every round area and small bell hanging in the center
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19 Tall Buddha statue in Frosted Gold finish in Dhyana Mudra sitting in garden
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extra long iron rain chain with birds and bells in antique copper finish
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24 inch tall porcelain pedestal birdbath with peach base and painted green hummingbird with large flowers on white basin in garden
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30 inches tall iron red airplane with lighted Christmas tree and gifts decor
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Reddish- Pink and Orange Acrylic Hummin Bird hanging from Orange String
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galvanized metal Christmas nutcracker figurine wearing crown and holding Christmas tree
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24 inch tall red porcelain pedestal birdbath with baby blue flower blossoms painted across the inner bowl in garden
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Turned Right Side View Iron Birdhouse sitting on a Stale with Bird and Leaf Details
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6.1 Feet tall iron Christmas ornament tower with large multicolor Christmas ball and gold details
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Full set of Hanging Acrylic Dragonfly with flower in different assorted colors
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iron rain chain in antique bronze finish with ornate hearts and bell accents
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collage of 6 hanging acrylic 3-piece hummingbird chains in 6 assorted colors
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collage image of five tone hanging acrylic three piece butterfly chain in assorted colors
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Two Birds Sitting on a Stick with Pink and Blue Beads
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image of 4 74 inch long hanging rope garlands with ceramic sailor balls in black with white flowers
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Full View of of Iron Nutcracker Holding Baton- In a Red Suit
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full length image of metal hanging on a chain A-frame birdhouse with square bottom and wind chimes in antique copper finish
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37 inch Tall Set of 2 Small Halloween Skeleton Soldiers Holding Staffs
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27 in. Tall Fairy Garden Statue with Crossing Arms "Tush"
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6 assorted colors hanging acrylic ornaments
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collage image of 6 hanging three piece acrylic flower chain in 6 colors
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66 inch tall heart-shaped iron birdhouse garden stake decorated with bird and leaf sculptures and lily-shaped bells
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15 inch tall round porcelain pedestal birdbath in peach with hand painted hummingbird and large flower blossoms “Hadley” in front of rose bush
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collage of large clear acrylic angels in 6 assorted styles hanging ornaments
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Large iron Christmas Archway with Santa's Elves, ball ornaments, swooping ribbon-like banner with Merry Christmas lettering
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seashell birdhouse for multiple birds
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full length image of 4 74 inch long hanging garlands with ceramic sailor balls and rope in blue and orange colors
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76.5 inch long iron decorative rain chain with pineapples in antique bronze finish
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Crafted with exceptional quality, these unique birdhouses showcase intricate hand-painted designs and beautifully textured porcelain
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“Coffee Time” Retro Style LED Lit Iron Bottle Cap Wall Decor
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full length image of metal hanging on a chain birdhouse with curved roof and wind chimes in antique copper finish
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set of 4 pink flamingos metal garden figurines standing in garden
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Close up image of Tall birdhouse stake shaped like a milk can with vines running from the bottom of the stake to the top of the birdhouse
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Iron birdhouse with cone roof in antique copper finish with patina details
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4 hanging garlands 74 inch long with ceramic sailor balls and rope in navy and burnt orange colors
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