Deb Burhinus
Used to be well known! 😎
Frozen bird baths are always a problem in winter.
Birds need water in winter not only to drink but stay warm! Feathers need to be kept in good condition, clean and well arranged which birds do by bathing when necessary so need those birdbaths to be ice free - they preen themselves using oil from the preen gland, spreading this through their feathers which helps to maintain condition and feather arrangement therefore providing maximum insulation against rain and more importantly, cold weather.
So far, because temperatures have not dropped below -3 during the day, I have managed to keep the birdbath unfrozen by empting it every night and filling it up again in the morning (since it is at night when temperatures have plummeted) obviously in colder winters/climates that wont work. In very cold winters, I have found bird bath freeze-free (obviously NOT car anti-freeze) very useful upto about -5 to -7 https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/produ...MI_IGjiNzk7gIVYIBQBh0Gqg1FEAQYASABEgLsMPD_BwE and floating ping pong balls. However, many a winter’s morning over the years, I have been standing in the garden in the early hours of the morning with a kettle of hot water!
How are other people keeping their birds watered?
Birds need water in winter not only to drink but stay warm! Feathers need to be kept in good condition, clean and well arranged which birds do by bathing when necessary so need those birdbaths to be ice free - they preen themselves using oil from the preen gland, spreading this through their feathers which helps to maintain condition and feather arrangement therefore providing maximum insulation against rain and more importantly, cold weather.
So far, because temperatures have not dropped below -3 during the day, I have managed to keep the birdbath unfrozen by empting it every night and filling it up again in the morning (since it is at night when temperatures have plummeted) obviously in colder winters/climates that wont work. In very cold winters, I have found bird bath freeze-free (obviously NOT car anti-freeze) very useful upto about -5 to -7 https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/produ...MI_IGjiNzk7gIVYIBQBh0Gqg1FEAQYASABEgLsMPD_BwE and floating ping pong balls. However, many a winter’s morning over the years, I have been standing in the garden in the early hours of the morning with a kettle of hot water!
How are other people keeping their birds watered?
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