Bird Baths: A Bird Guide to Care and Cleaning

Bird baths can be made of many different materials. An important question to ask before buying a bath is: Will it be easy to clean?

Some materials that water baths are made of are hard to clean, such as concrete and some plastics. These materials are porous and absorb stains. It has been difficult to impossible, in the past to keep them clean.

Cement pedestal bird bath.

It is easier to keep baths clean now because of the newer products available on the market. They clean better and can be added to the water to keep it fresher, longer. These products also prevent concrete and plastic baths from staining.

Many of the newer products for wild bird care are environmentally friendly, natural enzymes. The enzymes will not harm wild birds when they drink the water and are actually good for the ecology.

Resin, glazed ceramic, glass and metal baths are relatively easy to clean because of their harder surface. The material itself is either too dense to allow for anything to be absorbed or the finish as in the case of glazed ceramic prevents substances from penetrating into the material.

There are some options for keeping the water fresh and clean. But there is no choice involved whether to clean it, or not to clean it. Like bird feeders, once a person decides to take up the activity, keeping things clean is a must!

The reasons are obvious and simple. Water baths are regularly contaminated with bird droppings, feathers, algae, dust and dirt blown in from around the yard. Dirty bath water and bird feeders cause wild birds to contract disease, leading to sickness or death.

As well a bath left standing too long with stagnant water could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying West Nile disease.

A dirty bath and one that is perpetuating West Nile could make people sick too.

• Mix a solution of white vinegar (1 part) and water (4 parts). After rinsing the bath out, pour the white vinegar and water solution in the bath and let it soak for 15 minutes.

• Buy a water bath cleaning product from a backyard birding supplier, pet shop or hardware store. There are products on the market that use natural enzymes and are safe for the environment.

  Scrub brushes!

• A weak bleach and water solution can be used.

• With your choice of cleaner use a brush to scrub out the water reservoir well.

• Always rinse thoroughly.

• There are some excellent products available that can be added to clean the bath water to keep it fresher longer. They are again natural enzymes that are environmentally friendly and can keep a bath fresh, some users suggest, up to a month!

• There are products on the market which can be inserted into the water bath to keep the surface of the water agitated enough to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Drippers may also serve this purpose.

However this does not replace the need to clean the water bath regularly.

• the number of birds using the bath each day

• a source of water movement will decrease the frequency need for cleaning

• adding store bought products to keep the water fresh longer

• the amount of sun the bath receives

• but even a water bath in the shade during the heat of summer will need cleaning more often

• a water bath will also need regular cleaning in the winter

• how much rain water has been added

With bath care knowledge (and some elbow grease), watching wild birds in your backyard will be captivating and enjoyable.

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