Just as we need to stay hydrated and cool down in this intense heat, so do birds. Fine-feathered friends that come by my house have a choice of three water options to have a sip or a dip. It’s fun to watch them as they enjoy an individual bath, or arrive together for a pool party.
I have a pottery birdbath on a stand I made sometime ago, a piece of a broken large clay pot on its side on my deck, and a plastic dish on ground level.
I change the water every day, sometimes more than once when it’s really hot and there’s been a lot of activity. It’s a little gross to think of a bird drinking water after another one has had a bath in it.
Recently I noticed, with some alarm, a couple of visiting birds panting in the heat. After doing a bit of research, I learned panting helps them to cool down by expelling heat through their lungs and air sacs. According to a podcast by BirdNote, a partner of The National Audubon Society, “Holding its bill open, the bird also oscillates a tiny bone in a part of its throat where there are a lot of blood vessels. The oscillations bring more blood to the area, allowing heat from the blood to dissipate.”
Puffing up feathers, flapping wings and having a bath all help them to cool down. BirdNote also notes soaring birds fly higher where the air is cooler. Again, just like us, birds take it easy in the hottest times of the day.
There is an array of commercial birdbaths available but even a pie plate or a saucer with water will help. Dripping or moving water is an added attraction, similar to a splash pad for kids. A shady location helps keep the water cool.
The water level needs to be fairly shallow with suggestions ranging from one to three inches, sloping toward the deep end. The bottom ought not to be slippery. I added a rock into each of my baths for the smaller birds to stand on. They don’t seem to mind it when splashing.
Be cautious with birdbath placement if there is a potential of cats seeking a meal. Visits from thirsty squirrels and chipmunks are welcome, much more than their raids on the feeders.
Besides the aversion to sharing bath and drinking water, it’s important to regularly change water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. A little bit of vinegar kills any algae that forms, sometimes with the help of a brush and followed with a good rinse.
Birds find a clean water source an added attraction to any property, encouraging more to come by. Offering water helps birds survive the heat with an opportunity to sip or dip.
I share experiences of bird visitors to this property with readers every couple of weeks. Until next time, keep your eye to the sky and look for birds that may come by.
Rosaleen Egan is a freelance journalist, a storyteller, and a playwright. She blogs on her website rosiewrites.com
