Use Pie Dishes And Lids To Make Cute And Functional Birdbaths With This DIY

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Many bird lovers are often on the lookout for birdscaping tips to turn their yard and garden into a bird haven. If that's you, we've got a simple DIY idea you'll love: making bird baths using pie dishes and lids. Kelly Jo Lopez-Gray, a DIYer on the Creative Gardening Facebook group, did exactly that and crafted a cute hanging bath station, creating a unique bird bath design that adds instant delight to any yard. The best part is that most of the supplies needed for this DIY project are things you likely already have so it's also a budget-friendly way to birdscape.

First, you need a pie dish that comes with a lid. Pie dishes are typically a couple inches deep, so going for the larger variety will work perfectly to satisfy the recommended bird bath water depth of 1 to 2 inches. If you don't have an old dish you no longer use or want to repurpose, you can buy one cheaply at a thrift store or yard sale near you. Just make sure to get the kind with a lid, specifically one with a loop or handle. The loop or handle will come in handy for hanging. Next, get a wire hanging planter basket like the EIMQUVW Metal Hanging Planters Basket on Amazon. You also need jute rope, a shepherd's hook, and fresh water.

Begin by cleaning the pie dish and lid to get rid of any food residues, dust, or grime. Then take the metal hanging planter basket, remove the coir liner, and insert the pie dish in the wire basket. As long as the basket's diameter is larger than the dish, it should easily fit inside. Lift this setup via the wire hanger's top hook and you can see it already looks like a bird bath ready to hang up.

Now it's time to mount the bird bath on a shepherd's hook. If your shepherd's hook isn't already anchored to the ground, go ahead and do that first. Position it upright on your chosen spot on the ground then step on the base to push the spikes into the ground. Now hang the basket and pie dish on the shepherd's hook.

Next, you'll hang the pie dish lid to the shepherd's hook a distance above the dish to provide a shade over the bird bath while also adding a decorative touch to the setup. To do this, grab the lid and tie jute rope to the looped handle. Loop the free end of the cord to the shepherd's hook then, before tying it in place, tag at the cord until the lid is a good distance above the dish to allow for birds to fly in and out of the bird bath without any hindrance. And that's it, add water to the pie dish and your DIY hanging bird bath is ready for your feathered friends to splash in.

It's always exciting to add a personal touch to a DIY project like this one. You can change the color by spray painting the pie dish and lid or swap out the metal hanger basket with a jute rope hanging planter basket to get a more rustic look. But besides changing the design and look of your DIY bath station, there are a few safety tips that are critical to implement.

First, if you're using a glass or ceramic pie dish, those are likely to get slippery when wet which can pose a safety risk making birds want nothing to do with your birdbath. The simple solution is to add small stones or pebbles you can collect in your garden or bathtub non-slip stickers like this Secopad 20-piece Flower Bathtub Non Slip Stickers on Amazon. Place (or stick) these traction devices inside the pie dish so the birds have a stable footing. Avoid metal pie dishes and lids for this DIY bird bath since they'll rapidly overheat in the sun.

You also want to take extra care when hanging up the lid. Since it's directly above the pie dish, it could come loose and drop on the bird bath below, potentially injuring birds that were busy splashing or hydrating. To avoid this, either reinforce the jute rope hold by gluing it in place on both the lid's end and the shepherd's hook end. Alternatively, use wire to hang it up instead of rope that can come undone.