Birdbaths will attract more birds to your garden if you add 1 household item to them now

To get more birds gathering in your garden, it’s recommended to drop in one simple item lying around your home.

Birdbaths will attract more birds to your garden if you add 1 household item to them now(Image: Ray Geiger via Getty Images)

Watching birds frolic in a gleaming birdbath ranks among gardening’s finest pleasures. Yet, if you’ve spotted a decline in the splashing and bathing activity at yours lately, the explanation could be right under your nose.

Birdbath maintenance rarely tops the gardening priority list, especially during the hectic growing months when countless other jobs demand attention.

But a grimy birdbath quickly becomes unappealing to both gardeners and feathered visitors alike, often turning murky, smelly, or slippery in warmer conditions.

As it happens, popping one straightforward item into your birdbath can help clean and reduce algae and dirt accumulation, maintaining fresher water for avian guests.

A dirty birdbath can quickly become unappealing to both gardeners and wildlife(Image: helen Reid via Getty Images)

Gardening Know How experts revealed that copper pennies represent “one of the cheapest and easiest ways to keep your bird bath clean so you can attract more birds to your garden”.

They elaborated: “To put the science simply, the presence of a copper penny disrupts conditions that would make algae more likely to develop and thrive.

“The copper ions in pennies leach into the water and create a chemical barrier that prevents algae from building up. Algae relies on photosynthesis to thrive, and copper renders algal membranes weaker – to the point where they collapse and fail.”

Should you wish to understand how to maintain a concrete bird bath or its metal counterpart, this modest penny trick might prove “a big difference to a wider cleaning routine”. You needn’t splash out much to improve your bird bath – just a couple of copper pennies can boost the water’s algae-fighting properties.

Rocky Trifari, a bird enthusiast and owner of The Rocky Safari, backs this approach. He explained: “Copper is a natural biocide with properties that interfere with the biological processes algae and other microorganisms rely on.

“When copper ions leach into the water, they promote an environment that discourages the growth of green algae, one of the main causes of that slimy, dirty water found in birdbaths.”

Before popping any pennies into your bird bath, ensure you give them a proper clean using natural methods and check them carefully for any rust or corrosion.

While birds love splashing about and drinking from bird baths, prolonged or excessive contact with dissolved copper could pose health risks, especially for smaller bird species.

That’s why it’s wise to use just a handful of coins, and regular cleaning of the bath is vital when employing this trick. What’s more, changing the water daily for your feathered friends is absolutely essential.

Even with this clever method, regular maintenance remains key. Standing water can quickly become uninviting to wildlife and may encourage algae or bacterial growth, particularly during the warmer months.