• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Genuine Kentucky

Kentucky Pictures, Events, Restaurants

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
      • Advertise
    • Facts About Kentucky
      • Kentucky Geography 101: Where is Kentucky?!
      • Kentucky’s Lakes (Listed Alphabetically)
    • Famous Kentuckians
    • Kentucky Birds
      • Joys of Bird Watching
      • Bird Watching: Keeping a Journal
      • Backyard Birds Love Water!
      • Create a Backyard Bird Watching Haven
      • How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard
    • Kentucky Food
    • Kentucky History
    • Sitemap
  • Pictures
  • Restaurants
    • Best Catfish Restaurants
    • Best Pizza in Ky
    • Best BBQ in Ky
    • Bowling Green Restaurants
    • Gluten Free in Kentucky
    • Kentucky Lake Restaurants
    • Off the Beaten Path
    • Owensboro, Gluten Free
    • Owensboro Restaurants
    • Where to Eat Lunch in Owensboro
  • KY State Parks
    • Carter Caves State Resort Park
    • Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
    • Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park
    • Kenlake State Resort Park
    • Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
    • Lake Barkley State Resort Park
    • Rough River Dam State Resort Park
    • Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park
    • Pine Mountain State Resort Park
    • John James Audubon State Park
    • Lake Cumberland State Resort Park
    • More Kentucky State Parks
  • Things to Do
    • Grand Rivers Variety
    • Kentucky State Parks
    • Kentucky Lake
      • Kentucky Lake Pictures
    • Land Between the Lakes
      • Elk & Bison Prairie
      • Golden Pond Planetarium
      • The Homeplace
      • The Nature Station
      • LBL Pictures
        • Elk and Bison Prairie Pictures
    • Windy Hollow Campground and Speedway
    • Western Kentucky Botanical Garden
    • Smothers Park and Owensboro’s Riverfront
    • The Hitching Post
  • Events
You are here: Home / Birds / Backyard Birds Love Water!

Backyard Birds Love Water!

Birds have a few things they absolutely must have to survive:

  1. Food
  2. Shelter
  3. Water

Most bird watchers hit the ball out of the ballpark when it comes to providing food.  We fill feeders with birdseed, we throw crumbs, seeds, and popcorn on the ground, we hang suet baskets, we scatter dried corn along the ground, and many of us even smear peanut butter onto tree trunks and limbs.

We’re also all over the shelter need – either intentionally providing birdhouses and extra shrubs or unintentionally living in a yard filled with trees.

However, many bird watchers forget one very important bird need:  Water.  Birds need water for bathing and drinking.

Buying or Making a Birdbath

When it comes to birdbaths, you can get as elaborate or keep it as simple as you want to (or as your budget will permit you to).

One of the simplest, yet most efficient, birdbaths is simply an aluminum trash can lid turned upside down.  You can take the same approach I do with the  containers that I have sitting around our yard:  I fill them with about 3 inches of water and place stones in the water. This allows the birds to gradually wade into the water – or even to perch on the rock and enjoy the “shower” as another bird is splashing around.  Happens all the time and it’s always a lot of fun to watch!

When buying a birdbath, keep in mind that it should have a gradual slope that is not slippery.  Also, you don’t want the depth of the water to be more than 3 inches deep.  Small songbirds do not like deeper water and 3″ is more than sufficient for larger birds.  I’ve measured on my fingers – to see where 3″ would actually come to.  I use this as a guide when adding water to my self-crafted bird baths.

Something else to keep in mind when buying birdbaths:  Ceramic birdbaths are gorgeous, but if water freezes in them during winter, they could crack.

Birdbath Location

Locate your birdbath near a bird feeding station in your yard – someplace so the birds can easily it as they grab a bite to eat.

Perches near the water will make it even more attractive to the birds.  Placing a large branch nearby serves the purpose nicely.

Birds Love Running Water

The sound and sight of running water makes birds downright giddy.

Do-It-Yourselfers can suspend a water-filled bucket with a tiny hole in the bottom above a birdbath. The dripping water will be Heaven on earth for the birds in your yard.

There are also plenty of ingenious mist fountains on the market as well as drip hoses made for bird baths and garden ponds.

However you approach the birdbath situation, remember that birds need water all year, including winter.  Although it seems unusual to us, winter can be a time of drought for birds.

How do you keep the water in your birdbath from freezing? There are two options:

  1. Frequently add warm water throughout the day
  2. Invest in a birdbath water heater.  The time and effort saved by purchasing a birdbath water heater is more than worth it. Besides, those frequent trips trudging through the frozen grass and, often, snow (water pitcher in frozen hand) aren’t terribly enjoyable.  I’d know!

The commercially available birdbath water heaters do not use much electricity, do not harm the birds, and keep the water just above freezing.

Avant Garden 8160-3 Hanging-Standing Birdbath

Read more about birds…


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Genuine Kentucky!

Genuine Kentucky is a Kentucky Blog and online magazine celebrating the beautiful Bluegrass State. We shine the spotlight on Kentucky with pictures, restaurant reviews, news, tourism, Things to Do in Kentucky, and more.

We’re proud Kentuckians and the non-profit effort you see before you is a labor of love.

E-mail me anytime! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Kentucky Blog Updates

The Pond Grilled Shrimp and Baked Potato.

Delicious Grilled Shrimp at The Pond in Aurora, Kentucky If you're anything like me, you LOVE to get out in all the hustle … [Read More...] about Enjoying all Kentucky Has to Offer in Cold and Flu Season…

Beautiful Cardinal in Ice Covered Tree

Cardinal Riding Out the 2014 Ice Storm Can you believe it's been 8 years since the famous 2014 ice storm (well, it was … [Read More...] about Throwback to 2014 and the Kentucky Ice Storm… Even Then, There was Beauty

The Pond Catfish and Baked Potato

Baked Potato and Grilled Catfish at The Pond One of my favorite Kentucky restaurants is The Pond in Aurora, Kentucky. I love … [Read More...] about The Pond at Kentucky Lake: Always a Relaxing and Wonderful Place to Dine

Kentucky Lake - Winter at Lighthouse Landing

Lighthouse Landing at Kentucky Lake If you were a regular reader of Genuine Kentucky, you know all too well that we've been … [Read More...] about Genuine Kentucky… Recovering from a Whirlwind of Changes!

The Kentucky Legend Cafe

Photo Credit: The Owensboro Convention Center My youngest daughter, Stephany, often talk about squeezing as much joy out of … [Read More...] about Hot Dog Days of Summer at the Kentucky Legend Cafe in Owensboro (Located in the Convention Center)

Golden Pond Visitor's Center and Planetarium

The Golden Pond Visitor Center Planetarium and Observatory International Astronomy Day is Saturday, May 7, 2022 and The … [Read More...] about Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory: Activities for Astronomy Day (May 7, 2022)

Smothers Park Owensboro

Some of the more popular posts we've done on Genuine Kentucky have been the ones under the category "Where to eat in … [Read More...] about Kentucky Legend Café: Delicious Place to Enjoy Lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky

Gorgeous owl at the Nature Station

Owl at Woodlands Nature Station As I said in my last post, everything is coming back to life around Kentucky... everything … [Read More...] about A Sensational Spring Break at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes April 2-10, 2022

Follow Genuine Kentucky on Twitter!

Tweets by @GenuineKentucky


"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

Flowering Tree in Bowling Green
Fraley Music Festival
Maddox

Kentucky News and Events

  • Enjoying all Kentucky Has to Offer in Cold and Flu Season…
  • Throwback to 2014 and the Kentucky Ice Storm… Even Then, There was Beauty
  • The Pond at Kentucky Lake: Always a Relaxing and Wonderful Place to Dine
  • Genuine Kentucky… Recovering from a Whirlwind of Changes!
  • Hot Dog Days of Summer at the Kentucky Legend Cafe in Owensboro (Located in the Convention Center)
  • Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory: Activities for Astronomy Day (May 7, 2022)
  • Kentucky Legend Café: Delicious Place to Enjoy Lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky
  • A Sensational Spring Break at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes April 2-10, 2022

Kentucky State Parks

We have a special passion for Kentucky State Parks, so you'll find many articles and reviews centered around the beautiful state parks in Kentucky.

A personal goal is to visit, photograph, and enjoy each and every one of our state parks and eat at each of the state resort parks. Make no mistake about it, we're well on our way!

Bird Watching in Kentucky!

One of our greatest passions is birds and bird watching is an absolute favorite pastime. If you love our feathered friends and want to learn more about bird watching and attracting birds to your own backyard, be sure to check out our section dedicated entirely to Kentucky birds.

Kentucky Restaurants and Reviews

Kentucky Restaurant Reviews

Where are the best Kentucky restaurants?! Find out in our Kentucky Restaurant Reviews.

Also See: Best Fried Catfish in Kentucky
  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Kentucky Events

The pandemic has crushed many activities, events, and normalcy – not just in Kentucky, but all around the world. As we creep back toward normal, I want desperately to highlight any and all events going on around Kentucky. Please E-mail me any information you’d like shared about your Kentucky event! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Kentucky Pictures

Kentucky Pictures
Check out the beautiful Pictures of Kentucky in our photo albums!

Advertising & Reviews

If you are interested in advertising on Genuine Kentucky, please contact us: e-mail Joi Sigers.

Also, if you have a resort, condo, golf course, restaurant, or even a cup of coffee (LOVE coffee!) you'd like for us to review, please contact us at joi@genuinekentucky.com.

Genuine Kentucky Disclaimer

We do not work for any Kentucky service or organization. We are simply proud to have been born and raised in the greatest state in the country and are thrilled to call it home. This site serves as our tribute to Kentucky and its warm and wonderful people. Our mission is to bring more travelers to Kentucky and keep more Kentuckians home! See our Privacy Policy.
Copyright Genuine Kentucky 2022