How to Make a DIY Birdbath: Tips for Creating a Birdbath

A birdbath is an outdoor garden accessory featuring a small pool of water for birds. Birds use birdbaths to refresh themselves and cool off—particularly during the drier, hotter summer months. Birdbaths provide local birdlife with clean drinking water as well as necessary moisture for preening their feathers to keep them healthy.

Birdbaths are an easy DIY project to invite more birdlife to your garden. Follow these general step-by-step instructions to make your own homemade birdbath.

1. 1. Choose a good location. Select a location for your birdbath with level ground. Ideally, your birdbath should be near a tree or fence for birds to fly to and perch on after they finish drinking or preening. If possible, choose a location where your birdbath is visible from your porch or inside your home so you can more easily enjoy watching the birds that visit.
2. 2. Choose a birdbath style. There are countless DIY birdbath ideas to consider. Research some different styles and choose a unique birdbath that suits the aesthetic of your garden. Whether you choose a hanging birdbath, a serving bowl birdbath, or a lamp birdbath, take the time to choose a style that suits your garden or lawn.
3. 3. Build a pedestal. If you decide to build a standing birdbath, some good options for pedestals include wooden dowels, plant stands, and tree stumps. For a simple option, you can spray paint an old lamp stand or table leg to fit your decor and hold up your birdbath. A tomato cage birdbath is another easy DIY birdbath pedestal that can double as a place to grow tomatoes.
4. 4. Add a small basin on top of your pedestal. Search local thrift stores and garage sales for glassware, flower pots, or terra cotta saucers that could work as birdbath basins. Upcycle home decor items by repurposing a glass lid or candle plate for your birdbath. For a unique style of garden art, consider making a teapot birdbath with repurposed teaware or a mosaic birdbath out of multi-colored ceramics.
5. 5. Fill your birdbath with shallow water. Pour clean water into your birdbath. Fill the basin up to two inches in depth as birds are most comfortable in shallow water.
6. 6. Clean your birdbath water regularly. Depending on how often birds are visiting your birdbath, refill your birdbath with fresh water every one to three days. Rinse out the basin between each water refill and scrub the sides of it when necessary to prevent bacteria from building up in the bath.

Follow these tips to make the most of your DIY birdbath.

1. 1. Add a water feature to your birdbath. Moving water attracts the attention of birds and makes your birdbath less hospitable for mosquito larvae. A simple birdbath fountain or sprinkler can increase the quality of your birdbath. A solar fountain, or a water feature that operates via solar power, is a sustainable option throughout the warm, summer months. Although hummingbirds typically avoid traditional birdbaths, they flock to misters that spray water into the air.
2. 2. Place a bird feeder nearby. If you’re having trouble attracting birds to your birdbath, consider placing a hanging bird feeder nearby.
3. 3. Keep your birdbath warm during the winter. Consider adding a small water heater to your birdbath to keep the water from freezing over during the winter months.
4. 4. Include a rock or stick in your birdbath. Birds have poor depth perception and will stay away from water that looks too deep. Consider adding a perching rock or small ramp made from sticks to signal to the birds that the water is shallow enough to be safe.

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