It may feel pointless to fill up a birdbath during frosty cold weather, but many British birds do not emigrate and can really struggle to find somewhere to drink that has not frozen over. Birdbaths will not freeze and are actually very easy to keep maintained in winter as long you move them to the right place in your garden.
Kelsey Hanson, a gardening expert from Sunnydaze Decor, has shared the key to keeping birdbaths functional at this time of year is to move them somewhere sunny but with protection from the wind. She said: “Place your birdbath in a location that receives a large amount of sunlight. This will help melt any ice that forms in the birdbath. For additional protection, find a location that also has a windbreak or create a windbreak.”
Where should you move a birdbath in winter?
A windbreak is simply any object that will block the wind to stop your birdbath being knocked over and prevent ice being blown into the water. It can be something like a fence, hedge, a row of trees or even a shed wall.
Place a birdbath near cover, but leave a few metres of space around it, as this helps prevent predators like cats from hiding and jumping up at birds.
Try to place the birdbath in a quiet area of your garden so pets are more likely to ignore it, which helps birds feel much safer.
Taking just a few seconds to move a birdbath is easy and is usually enough to stop it freezing over so birds will continue to fly into your garden all winter.
How else can you stop a birdbath freezing over?
One of the best ways to stop water freezing is to just keep it on a dark surface, as this helps absorb more heat from the sun to keep it warmer for a longer time.
You can simply buy a birdbath in a darker colour, or you can place a few black river rocks at the bottom of the basin, and it will retain a lot more warmth.
Make sure to also keep your birdbath full, as small amounts of water are more likely to freeze quickly, and you can help keep frost away by filling it up every few days.
No matter what, do not break the ice or pour boiling water over it if your birdbath does freeze over as it will likely cause damage or cracks. Instead, boil some water or a stove, carefully carry it to the garden and place it on the ice so help it melt as a gentle pace.
Keeping a birdbath functional in winter does require a few small changes, but it can greatly help your local bird population by encouraging birds such as robins, sparrows, and blackbirds to continue visiting your garden.
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