Why Your Birdbath Is Losing Water And Easy Ways To Stop It From Happening

Upon adding a birdbath to your yard, your mind may conjure up images of tons of birds flocking to your space and splashing around in the endless supply of cool water. In reality, however, most birdbaths fall short of this idyllic scene. While we may have the highest intentions of frequently filling up these basins for our feathered friends, it's all too easy to forget to keep our birdbaths full. While not filling up your bath as often as you should is one reason why it may be empty, there are also a few other reasons why your basin might be losing water and causing birds to want nothing to do with your birdbath. These reasons include evaporation, splashing from fountains or birds, cracks in the surface, and other creatures partaking in the water. To avoid these problems, you can move your bath to a new location, repair cracks, and protect it from other animals.

Whether you made a charming DIY birdbath for your yard or purchased one from the store, birds love baths for a few reasons. While they drink the water, they also splash around in it to cool themselves off if the weather is too hot or to simply wash their feathers. If your bath isn't constantly filled with water, you may see less feathered friends in your yard — but fear not, as this problem is easy to fix.

The first reason your birdbath might be losing water is because it's evaporating. Evaporation happens faster when the water is directly in the sun, as the heat changes the liquid into a vapor. To fix this problem, try putting your birdbath in a shady area. While you may need to clean out debris like leaves from trees more often, the water will last longer. Your bath could also be losing water from splashing. Birds typically splash around in bird baths instead of soaking so they don't get too wet, which would make it difficult for them to fly. There are many pros to adding a fountain to your birdbath to help birds cool off, but if the water is too high, this feature could also cause it to spill over the sides. Ensure that the water level isn't too high and regularly fill the birdbath after birds visit.

If you know evaporation and overzealous birds aren't the issue, you may have a crack in the surface of your basin that's causing water to slowly leak out. There are a variety of ways to fix a cracked surface, including silicone caulk, DRYLOK cement sealant (available at Home Depot), or waterproof paint. Finally, animals such as squirrels, raccoons, deer, and cats may be drinking the water. To deter them, you could erect a fence around the bath, place it in a higher area, or hide it behind a shrub.