Goodbye Traditional Bird Baths — A Deck-Mounted Amazon Find That Doubles As A Fountain

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For the avid bird watcher, a new feature that promises to attract more avian activity to your property is an exciting prospect. For those who want a closer glimpse, positioning something far out in the yard can yield disappointing results, especially if visiting birds fly off before you can get a good look. However, this Amazon find — the Yiabivo Deck Mounted Bird Bath with Fountain — can bring your backyard bird watching closer than ever by bringing them straight to your deck.

Currently retailing for $37.99, this bird bath with a fountain is powered by solar energy and can be mounted directly onto your deck, front porch, or the railings of an apartment's patio. The piece measures 13 inches in diameter, a compact size that can fit a couple small birds a time, and 2 inches deep. Since it runs via direct solar power, the bird bath fountain needs to be placed in the path of sunlight or the water feature will stop working; when the water stops flowing, however, it still serves as a stationary bird bath.

Though it only has around 30 reviews, customers have given the bird bath a 4.1-star average rating. Buyers mention that the bird bath is easy to install and works well to draw feathered friends. One five-star Amazon review states, "Super easy to put together and just slips right onto your balcony railing. It's made of solid metal — no wobbling, no rust, and it feels built to last."

If you find yourself wanting more birds in your yard but are wary of putting out seeds that will draw rats, squirrels, and other pests, a bird bath might be a better choice. While animals do need water, bird baths are less likely to draw non-bird critters, and you also won't have endless seed spillage — and, consequently, resourceful rodents — to worry about. Skipping the bird feeder and planting specific flowers around your bird bath instead may yield satisfying results, too.

Another reason to consider this bird bath fountain is that it features a bonus way to attract birds in the form of flowing water. Unlike a still bowl of water that might be difficult to find, birds can easily hear and therefore locate flowing water. Additionally, the water in a fountain bath will stay cleaner for longer, since bacteria won't have a chance to settle as quickly and mosquitoes will avoid laying their eggs in moving water.

While the moving water will get dirty more slowly than still water, it is still important to clean on a regular basis to keep your bird bath beautiful and healthy for birds; this is especially true since this product requires sunlight for its fountain operation, which provides algae with the conditions needed to thrive. Fortunately, this model isn't difficult to clean. Refreshing the current reservoir every two to three days is generally the best practice. You can also clean with apple cider vinegar to hinder algae growth in your bird bath.