The Intro
Bird fountains and baths can add amazing sights and sounds to your garden. The water feature itself may hold some captivating beauty, but the birds that visit will be even more stunning. You will be amazed at the amount of visitors your fountain brings to your yard just from the sound of a drop of water. There may be all sorts of birds that will come who may have been as close as the neighbors hedge, but just didn’t have the right reason to visit. Fountains can be as simple as “just add water” or as complex as calling the local pond contractor but they all have a place and they all bring something more to your outside living space including a bird and a smile.
The Location, Location, Location
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Running water is always a welcome addition to any outdoor area. Birds, however, are drawn to running water for drinking or bathing and will prefer one location over another. Most song birds must be vigilant when focusing on something other than becoming a meal. They will look for secure spots to drink and or bathe which means having your fountain placed close to a tree or shrub where your visitors might escape to, when danger comes around. This safe locationwill increase the number of visitors that will use the watery oasis. Keeping the water out of direct sunlight will also be a good idea so as not to promote the growth of algae. Some algae can be harmful to birds while other types will not. A partly shaded area where the morning sun catches the water would be ideal. Of course you should make sure you are able to see the guests without too much disturbance.
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The Look
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Fountains can be easy and relatively inexpensive. Some fountains like the one pictured here can be found at Walmart, Costco or on Amazon.com for less than $60.00. These are simple and it is possible to have them running on your deck in under 15 minutes. They are usually made from stone or clay and have features like bamboo or pebbles to make them more attractive. There are more elaborate fountains that can be assembled and have multi-tiered basins where a larger sound of water filling the air is the goal. These are still relatively simple but may be somewhat heavier and you may need some assistance with getting them into place. The custom in-ground fountains have no limits and can have one pool or several with streams running between them or grand waterfalls ending in a pool. You will need some time, space and money for this option but the rewards of having this type of water feature are immense. No matter what you choose, there are a couple things to remember about the shape. The birds will want a sturdy area where they will land and be able to drink safely from. If they are planning to use the fountain as a bath it is always better to have a shallow pond where the birds can stand belly deep. To accommodate all sizes, it is better to have a gradually sloped bottom where at all possible. Having several flat rocks at different levels will accommodate several types of birds as well.
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The Faucet
Fountains all have a different method of getting the water to make its way from the spout to the basin. In some cases, the water will just bubble out on to a flat surface and roll over the rock feature making very little sound and not much of a splash. This style of fountain is ideal for the hummingbirds and the people that love them. Most hummingbird’s feet are very close to their bodies and they will look for shallow running water for their bath time. There are the spigot style fountains which have the water leaving an opening and dropping into pool from above. These create a good deal of sound which attract a good deal more birds. These are the most common type and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and may fit any motif you might like. There is also the type that jets water from within the basin into the air and then drops back down to the same pool. These are some of the simpler styles where there is just a pump and a basin. The cord sometimes is not well hidden on these versions, but they now have solar powered versions which does away for the need of that hard to hide cord. One of the first type of fountains that I made with my Gramps, was a drip type fountain. These are fresh water fed from a container using a small siphoned hose to drip the water into the basin. This ensures that the water is slowly renewed with a clean source. The amount of water might only add up to a gallon a day if the drip is set properly and uses no electricity.
The Clean Bill of Health
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It is imperative that the fountains are cleaned on a regular basis so that your visitors aren’t getting more than just a drink of water. Depending on the amount of use and location, that could mean every couple of days. Stagnant water carry bacteria and algae if left too long. Be cautioned that if you are going to use cleaning agents like dilute bleach solutions, it is very important that the cleaner is completely removed from the fountain before you fill it up again for your feathered visitors. Most fountains are good to go with a spray from the hose as most city water sources are chlorinated. Chlorine will evaporate from the standing water within the day and is perfectly safe. This should keep the fountain clean and free from most harmful elements.
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The Wallet
Fountains can be a real treat in your garden and don’t have to be expensive. There are simple bowls that can become a fixture within your ground cover with a rock or two from the garden. This is the perfect spot for a hidden 1 gallon milk or juice container as the water source and a small hose used as a siphon. The cost here being the bowl, a gallon of milk and the time to dig the hole. If you are willing to spend a little more than that, a whole host of fountains can be purchased online or at your local bird or garden store. These can range from $20 dollars to hundreds of dollars depending on how intricate you want to get with the set up. They can be ready made, or you can put them together yourself. A basin with a bubbler or mister with a water source hooked to the system is an effective way to keep the birds very happy and coming back. On the upper end of the scale is the Grand Daddy of all bird baths which can be an entire water feature. This can be time consuming and somewhat costly, but very rewarding with all types of birds making visits to you garden. I suggest a book on the subject, or talk with a professional.
The Finish
Fountains can be the ultimate finishing touch to your garden, patio or deck but it can also be the much-needed source of water for birds in your area. Depending on the location and configuration, birds of all shapes and sizes will use your feature for bathing and keeping hydrated. The sound of water, from a drip to a great splash will invite more birds that you could imagine and add color from what might be an ordinary outdoor area to an extraordinary outside Eden. The cost of a home-made fountain could cost as little as the time to search through your house for spare items but if you really want to make a splash, the sky is the limit. What will you decide for your birds. Send me a note if you want help or any suggestions.
