Goodbye Traditional Bird Baths — There's An Amazon Find For Your Backyard Table

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When shopping for a bird bath, you might want to consider something less traditional (i.e., a basin balanced atop a pedestal), and one more offbeat. Case in point, Amazon's Towdreu Stone Bird Bath Bowl. At just shy of $40, it's a bit more costly than some baths made of metal or synthetics, but it also offers some qualities other baths don't, starting with its design.

At first glance, it's not obvious that this natural stone vessel is intended for feathered guests at all. The hand-carved marble bowl is meant to rest on a tabletop or the ground in a way that mimics how birds bathe in puddles in the wild. It's a single-slab piece of polished stone, one that's free of cracks and seams (both of which could weaken a bowl over time). What's more, if you live in an area that's windy, there's less worry about this 6.34-pound bath being swept away in a gust like a lightweight model can be.

As of this writing, the Towdreu Stone Bird Bath Bowl has a rating of 4.4 stars out of five, from over 80 reviews. Sixty-four percent of those reviews give the bowl five stars, while another 18% give it four. A combined 6% rate the bowl one or two stars. Customers note the look of the bird bath (several calling it "beautiful"), as well as the weight. One five-star reviewer noted: "Very solid and high quality. Not deep. The perfect depth for small birds."

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recommends bird baths that gradually deepen, with water levels no more that 2 inches deep at the center. The Towdreu bath has a depth of 1.6 inches. Also, because it's shallow, you'll need to refresh the water regularly, which will in turn minimize standing water in your yard that could invite mosquitoes or algae to the party. (See other bird bath designs that add instant delight to any yard.)

As for placement, a raised flat surface is a great place to set up the Towdreu bath. A table or tree stump elevates the container enough to protect bathing birds from predators while also making it easier for you to observe them. However, you may get more visitors if you place the bird bath on the ground, since this is where they access water in nature. When placing your bird bath, also make sure it's near a tree or shrub the birds can retreat to if necessary.

One possible con of the Towdreu design is that the bowl's polished interior may be too slippery for birds. However, adding some stones to the bath can help solve this, giving the birds secure perches to use. And, with this step, the bath can also double as an insect watering station and make your garden a pollinator haven.

Keeping your bird bath's water clean is crucial to the health of its visitors. Note that vinegar can damage marble, but baking soda is a good choice for gentle, non-toxic cleaning of your bath. When using baking soda (aka the pantry staple that can help hinder algae growth in your bird bath), make sure to use a soft brush or cloth and immediately wash away the residue to protect the marble bowl's finish. In fact, you may want to test this method on an inconspicuous part of the bath first.

On that note, while sealing the stone will prolong the life of your bird bath bowl, it's essential you find a product that won't harm wildlife in the process. Sealing the bowl with a nontoxic clear epoxy or nano silicone dioxide is an option. For the latter, a product like Nanoman Stone and Brick Sealer will reportedly protect surfaces against scale, moss, and algae growth.