Anyone with a birdbath in their garden is being urged to add a simple item before summer arrives to make it more inviting for birds. If birds seem to ignore your birdbath, a quick five-minute task can encourage them to stop by for a drink.
Why Birds Avoid Some Birdbaths
Birdbaths are a kind way for gardeners to help birds during hot summer days when natural water sources may dry up. However, many birdbaths go unused because birds cannot perch comfortably on the edge. Birds often avoid slippery or steep surfaces, even when thirsty, as they need to feel secure and able to escape predators quickly. If a birdbath is too deep or lacks suitable perches, birds may struggle to evade cats, foxes, or other birds, making them less likely to visit.
Expert Advice: Add Pebbles
Larry Hodgson, known as the Laidback Gardener, explains that making a birdbath more attractive is easy. All you need is a couple of pebbles. He says: "Some commercial birdbaths look visually stunning, but when you install them, birds avoid them. Quite often, the cause is just that they are either too deep for small birds or the bottom is too slippery for them to feel at ease. To correct the problem, simply put pebbles or stones on the bottom, or even just a rock with a sloping top, so that at least one section is shallower than the rest or even exposed, offering a variety of depths."
Most everyday garden birds prefer water that is less than five centimetres deep, as it makes it easier for them to move around. Adding stones or pebbles creates a shallower area for birds to stand, helping them get a better grip and feel safer. The stones also reflect off the water's surface, making the birdbath more noticeable to birds flying overhead, increasing the chance they will visit your garden.
How to Prepare Your Birdbath
To make birds feel safer and more comfortable, follow these simple steps:
- Create gradual depth: Pile small pebbles along one side of the birdbath so the water depth changes gradually. This allows birds to walk directly into the water to bathe.
- Add lookout spots: Place two or four larger rocks at the bottom so they protrude slightly above the water. These serve as perches for birds to check for predators.
- Break up the surface: Scatter a few stones randomly to break up the water surface. Open water can make birds feel exposed, while varied depths attract them.
Shallow areas are more likely to attract smaller birds like robins, wrens, or tits, while slightly deeper areas will attract blackbirds, starlings, and sparrows. Making a birdbath more comfortable takes less than five minutes and is one of the most effective ways to encourage birds to visit your garden this summer.
