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For you and me, personal hygiene may be a matter of
preference, but for our feathered friends, personal
hygiene is a matter of life and death. Dirty feathers
don’t function well in flight or in protecting the body
from the elements.
The typical bathing action is more of a shower than a
soaking. Most birds will wade into water a few inches
deep, bend to immerse the belly, and then vigorously
flick the beak from side to side. At the same time the
wings are beaten to spray water all over the body.
After bathing, the bird flies to a safe perch to preen.
Most birds have an oil gland at the base of the tail,
which produces an oil that is spread all over the
feathers by the bird. This oil helps to give the
feathers durability and water resistance. As the bird
preens, he smoothes and rearranges the barbs and
barbules as he distributes the oil and removes dirt and
parasites.
Nature’s birdbath is a puddle, so the best artificial
baths imitate puddles. The bath should be round with a
flat bottom and gently sloping sides, and should be no
deeper than three inches. The bottom surface of the
bath should not be so smooth that the birds cannot get a
secure footing. If necessary, add gravel to the bottom
of the bath to make better footing. Flat rocks can be
added to the water to provide a shallow area of footing.
The water in the bath should be changed frequently, and
the bath scrubbed every few days in warm weather.
Locate your bath in the shade of a tree, near some kind
of cover. Adequate cover helps to make the bird feel
more secure, especially when wet and less able to fly.
If the bath is located in an open area, a dead tree
branch can be placed in the ground next to the bath.
Avoid positioning directly under a perch or feeder, as
droppings in the water are unwelcome.
Water movement and the sound of dripping water
definitely attract birds, so an artificial bath with a
fresh water sprinkler will advertise its presence.
These systems also decrease the presence of infectious
bacteria, which are common in standard birdbaths.
When properly located and consistently maintained,
birdbaths can be a healthy and entertaining addition to
your backyard bird sanctuary. Be sure to check out our
new collection of functional birdbaths artistically
crafted by Schrodt Designs by visiting us at
http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/bird_baths.asp.
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