bird bath question (1 Viewer)

[jpscloud]

Hope this is the right forum. My lovely concrete bird bath top got broken in a hilarious eucalyptus felling accident.

I cleverly (or so I thought) replaced it with a blue ceramic planter bottom thingy, secured underneath with "no more nails". Since then, I have never seen birds on it - it's in the same place as before, and used to be used constantly.

I wondered if it was too deep, so put some small pebbles in. No luck! It's possibly getting used while I'm out at work (I used to work from home but no longer), although you'd think I would see it get used at weekends.

I'll try to put a picture in but I'm new to the site so not sure if it will work. The only thing I can think of is that the hibiscus bush next to it has got quite big now so maybe is putting the birds off... although sparrows and dunnocks use the bush as a perch when ground feeding as well, so maybe not.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Edit: the plastic tub is for hedgehogs!]

 

[Bob D]

Only thing I can say is that we have three saucer type bird baths in about a 10 square foot area on our patio. One of them has a shiny intense blue ceramic finish on the bottom. The edge is rough clay. Our birds shun it, either for water or bathing. Weird.

 

[Mary]

As you can see from this (grotty!) pic, local birds are fine with one of these trays - the actual bird bath itself was a tad too deep. Maybe yours just need a bit more time to get used to it?

 

[jpscloud]

Lovely pic Mary! Sadly I think like Bob's, "my" birds don't like the blue ceramic for some reason. It's been out there two years now!

I'm going to replace the top with a "terracotta" one (there is one that holds water well at the garden centre) and see how that goes, I think.

 

[aveschapines]

I have two beige colored plastic trays, flat rectangles about 1.5 cm deep, with textured surface, plus a large black plastic tub I keep full of water. They get constant visits, the trays from all kinds of finches, warblers, sparrows, blackbirds and grackles; and the grackles also drink and bathe from the tub.

Helen

 

[Zukn]

My bird bath is a small water feature set into gravel. It is a resevoir(Bucket with a lid), a pump and jet that shoots about 3inches above the pebbles ontop of the resevoir. The local blackbirds look hilarious in summer washing there wing pits with the small plume of water, as the standing water is not deep enough for them to get that part wet, but it's deep enough for smaller birds to have a good splash. And always amusing to turn the jet on when a local cat is trying to get a drink.

 

[Dana Dana]

When I read your post I wondered if that dish may be a bit too slippery for their feet. I put in flat rocks they won't slide on or bits of flat floor tile rough side up so they can get some traction.
Even if there is no food the birds will come for water and a bath. More bathing goes on here in winter than in summer as everyone tries to stay warm.

 

[aveschapines]

Even if there is no food the birds will come for water and a bath. More bathing goes on here in winter than in summer as everyone tries to stay warm.

This has been my experience, too. I have tried feeding the birds all sorts of things (you can't get wild bird seed here, and the pet bird seed, even if it were appropriate for wild birds, is too expensive to feed freely to wild birds) but so far the only success has been my hummingbird feeder, which seems to have enticed a female Ruby-throated hummer to spend the winter here instead of going to a lower elevation. The local hummingbirds still ignore the feeder, but I'm hoping they will use it once my fuchsias stop blooming (should be in the next few weeks).

However, since I started keeping water on the patio for the birds, they visit regularly and help a lot to control the pests on my container garden plants. They even come to drink and bathe during the rainy season when puddles are everywhere. They also have become a bit tamer, and I get better looks at them. Plus watching them take a bath is so much fun!

Helen

 

[jpscloud]

When I read your post I wondered if that dish may be a bit too slippery for their feet. I put in flat rocks they won't slide on or bits of flat floor tile rough side up so they can get some traction.
Even if there is no food the birds will come for water and a bath. More bathing goes on here in winter than in summer as everyone tries to stay warm.

That could be it - the old bird bath had a very rough surface. The old one was used constantly, birds used to queue up for it in summer and I'd have to fill it up several times on a hot day. There is definitely something about this one they don't like.

I'll change it for a terracotta type (that also has a less glossy surface) and report back!

 

[ilbirdwatch1]

Green Bird Bath

I figured maybe I could piggy back on this topic, instead of creating a new thread! I’m planning on upgrading my birdbath for the winter season. I received a heater for Christmas and was planning on buying a terracotta Pot base as the dish and setting it on our porch, which is about 5 feet away from the feeder. We also received some new pots and pans and figured maybe a green approach would be to take off the handle on one of the pans and use it for a water dish. I figured it’s shallow and the pan would hold the heat pretty well from the low powered heater. Do you see any problem with this? Could the Teflon coating be an issue? (The pan is not flaking and will be thoroughly cleaned)

 

[YourBirdOasis]

I don't see any potential problem using an old pan as long as the Teflon coating is still well intact. However, I wonder if it will start to flake after a while, being exposed to the sun and temperature extremes? It will probably last a good while though, so it's better to find some use that will extend its utility and keep it from the landfill.

 

[Busybee]

My bird bath is a small water feature set into gravel. It is a resevoir(Bucket with a lid), a pump and jet that shoots about 3inches above the pebbles ontop of the resevoir. The local blackbirds look hilarious in summer washing there wing pits with the small plume of water, as the standing water is not deep enough for them to get that part wet, but it's deep enough for smaller birds to have a good splash. And always amusing to turn the jet on when a local cat is trying to get a drink.

My water feature is similar but we have a blue ceramic ball with a hole in the top and the birds sometimes balance on the top to bathe and get right under to have a drink. We also have a shallow concrete bath and the same birds use both, especially the male blackbird.:t:

 

[ilbirdwatch1]

I don't see any potential problem using an old pan as long as the Teflon coating is still well intact. However, I wonder if it will start to flake after a while, being exposed to the sun and temperature extremes? It will probably last a good while though, so it's better to find some use that will extend its utility and keep it from the landfill.

Well, I did some research and come to find out that Teflon is harmful to birds when heated up! Yikes, I did not know this and I'm glad I did a bit more research! I guess the fumes from the coating fills birds lungs up with fluid, causing them to die. I'll be finding a different container for a bird bath!

 

[jpscloud]

Well, I did some research and come to find out that Teflon is harmful to birds when heated up! Yikes, I did not know this and I'm glad I did a bit more research! I guess the fumes from the coating fills birds lungs up with fluid, causing them to die. I'll be finding a different container for a bird bath!

:eek!: Good catch ilbirdwatch!

 

[KC Foggin]

Three good size bird baths and while the larger birds appreciate the baths, this is what my smaller birds love even in the dead of winter. I have to keep adding water cause they empty it bathing and during the freezing weather, I fill it fresh each morning and evening.

This is an ant guard that I keep on top of the hummer feeders.

 

[aveschapines]

Well, I did some research and come to find out that Teflon is harmful to birds when heated up! Yikes, I did not know this and I'm glad I did a bit more research! I guess the fumes from the coating fills birds lungs up with fluid, causing them to die. I'll be finding a different container for a bird bath!

Yes, teflon is very toxic to birds when heated; and I would also worry about them scratching the coating with their nails and bills, and I don't imagine drinking the chips and flakes would be very good for them either.

Helen

 

[aveschapines]

Three good size bird baths and while the larger birds appreciate the baths, this is what my smaller birds love even in the dead of winter. I have to keep adding water cause they empty it bathing and during the freezing weather, I fill it fresh each morning and evening.

This is an ant guard that I keep on top of the hummer feeders.

Adorable! Maybe I should put out a smaller dish too for the little guys. They do use the trays, though - I assume because they aren't too deep.

Helen

 

[jpscloud]

Yes, teflon is very toxic to birds when heated; and I would also worry about them scratching the coating with their nails and bills, and I don't imagine drinking the chips and flakes would be very good for them either.

Helen

If it's toxic to birds, it makes me wonder what it does to humans as well :eek!:

 

[aveschapines]

If it's toxic to birds, it makes me wonder what it does to humans as well :eek!:

My understanding is that the main problem for birds is when a teflon coated pan is heated with nothing in it; it emits a gas that isn't good for anyone, but birds are far more sensitive to it than people are. Many people have killed their pet birds quickly that way. Humans are not recomended to use teflon whose surface has been scratched or damaged either (maybe the reason you got new pans for Christmas?).

I don't imagine a bird bath heater would generate enough heat for that to be a problem, especially since it is full of water, but I would worry about sharp claws and bills chipping or scratching the teflon and the birds ingesting it, and I'm not sure that would be safe.

Helen

 

[KC Foggin]

The Teflon danger lies when there is nothing in the pan when heat is applied so, like Helen, I believe there would be no danger to the heated birdbath as long as there was water in it.