One of the easiest ways to care for your birdbath is ensuring that it doesn’t get dirty. While cleaning is something you need to take into consideration seriously, there also exist other essential steps that you need to take as a birder in order to make your birdbath most attractive. In this article, I am going to show you how to show you various tips on birdbath maintenance so that you stand out as a real birdbath pro.
Cleaning
Birds, like any other living things, need to drink clean water. We all understand that clean water is essential to every living organism than just for taste. So, why clean water is necessary? The answer to this question is because clean water brings a wide variety of birds to the backyard.
Ways to minimize dirty birdbaths
The simplest way to minimize the need for frequent cleanings is as highlighted below;
- Instead of adding more water to the birdbath, you first need to dump out stagnant water.
- To prevent spilled seeds from not landing in the water, you need to place your birdbath away from possible feeders.
- To prevent the growth of algae, place your birdbath in a shady region
- Place your birdbath in a place where it won’t be clogged by falling leaves, grass, or other debris.
Step by step guide on how to clean a birdbath
- Dump out any old or stagnant water.
- You will then need to remove spilled seeds
- Use a white vinegar solution to scrub the birdbath thoroughly. In this case, you need to scrub the areas around the birdbath, and these include the basin, and lips among other areas. However, in cases where birdbaths are extremely dirty, it is advisable to allow the vinegar solution last quite for some minutes. While this is in consideration, ensure you keep a geek over the bath to ensure no bird drinks.
- Rinse the birdbath until no foaming.
- Let the bath to dry as you refill it with fresh water.
What you need
- Gloves
Important note: when cleaning, always wear rubber gloves to prevent contamination with fecal matters found on the surface of the birdbath
- Water
- Vinegar/chlorine breach
- Scrub brush and basin
Tips when cleaning birdbaths
We all understand that cleaned birdbaths can be an oasis to different species of birds. Therefore, if you want the best results when cleaning your birdbath ensure;
- You clean (thorough cleaning in this case) 2-3 times in a week. This depends on the number of birds that are going to use it.
- To clean using a pressure hose. This helps in rinsing out the birdbath
- To clean the whole birdbath as per the fixture
- To add enzymes (of course those approved by wildlife consumption). This will help in reducing the growth of algae
- To prevent the concentration of pollutants that comes as a result of a small amount of water, it is, therefore, advisable to keep the birdbath full.
These are some of the things you need to know about birdbath maintenance. Keep them in mind, and you’ll protect the birds and maximize the life of the birdbath.
