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Ice free bird baths?

IanH
03/02/2012 16:23

Now that winter has properly arrived, we are getting a number of queries here in wildlife enquiries about how to keep bird baths ice free. Here are some top tips!

  1. Put a ping pong ball in your bird bath. The breeze should move this lightweight float around keeping the water moving and should prevent it freezing during the day, unless the temperature drops considerably.
  2. Move you bird bath to an area of garden that gets the most hours of sunlight.
  3. If you struggle to get the ice out of your birdbath in the morning, either empty the evening before and refill in the morning or line the bird bath with a tough polythene sheet (offcuts from pond liners are perfect) so it overlaps the edge a little. The ice should come away with the liner.
  4. Do not use anti-freeze, salt or any kind of oil as these will all be very bad news for any birds!
  5. For those who want a technological solution to icy bird baths, look up Solar Sipper on the Internet.
  6. For ponds, rather than smash the ice, float a size 3 football on the pond whilst it is ice free. After an overnight frost, remove the ball during the day which should leave a round hole in the ice. Remember to replace the ball into the hole in the evening.

I hope these tips prove useful!

Warden Intern at Otmoor.

  • 04/02/2012 14:03

    Hi Ian, yes, it's a problem when it's -10C like this morning!

    Another idea I have found works well - I've punched 4 holes in the sides of a small tin can for air flow ( carefully as the metal is very sharp!!), then put a tealight candle in, with the water dish on top. Keeps it ice free for hours. Last winter a song thrush spent ages sitting on the side of the dish- keeping warm!

  • 05/02/2012 00:22

    In the dim and distant past when I was young, my mother always put one spot of glycerine (the sort you use when you make icing for cakes) in the bird bath and it never froze over.  Does anyone know if this would be ok?  I keep thinking I should try it.  As far as I remember no birds ever came to any harm.  This-morning I had to go out 5 times to my two bird baths before they were completely ok, so I have been tempted to give the glycerine a go!