The Type Of Birdbath That Will Attract More Owls To Your Yard

If you watch a bird hopping around in a puddle after a rainstorm, you'll probably observe them drinking, but birds need fresh water for more than quenching their thirst. When you see a bird running its beak through its feathers at your birdbath or in a puddle, it's performing an important task, feather maintenance. Positioning a birdbath in your yard and keeping it clean and filled with water is a sure way to attract more birds to your yard. The same things that attract other birds appeal to owls, but they do have one requirement that flies in the face of the advice bird lovers generally get about birdbaths. Small birds, like robins, phoebes, and flickers, need a birdbath with shallow water. Owls, on the other hand, prefer one with deep water.

Birds will use a birdbath set on a pedestal or on the ground, though they may prefer a birdbath that's close to the ground because it mimics the natural places they find water. In addition, they need a safe place to preen and dry off after their bath. Owls, in particular, need a place to perch where they can also see their prey. The best place for any birdbath is a shady spot near trees or bushes. Keep the area immediately around the birdbath clear so predators like cats can't sneak up on your avian friends, but keep in mind that all owls are predators that might just swoop down and carry off your pet rabbit or small dog while you're sleeping.

Most, but not all, owls are nocturnal, meaning they're active at night, so you may never see them visit your birdbath. Since they're predators that spend most of their awake time hunting for food, attracting them to your yard is a natural way to control pests like mice and voles. Owls get most of their water through the food they eat, so they don't need a birdbath to drink from unless the weather is unusually hot. But a deep birdbath gives them a spot to preen or to cool off after hunting. Provide a larger birdbath as well as roosting and nesting spots like an owl house to encourage owls to stay in your landscape.

Choose a birdbath with sloping sides that's at least 2 inches deep to attract owls to your yard. Ideally, it should be made of metal or hard plastic and be suitable to rest on the ground. Since owls aren't good at building nests — they prefer holes, cavities, or the used nests of other birds — consider adding a nesting box nearby. Leave outdoor lights near the birdbath off at night. Keep the birdbath clean and the water fresh by flushing out the old water every day and refilling the basin. Scrub the basin every one or two weeks, and never add anything to the water, such as insect repellents, commercial products that claim to kill algae, or antifreeze or salt to keep the water from freezing.