Ideas to Make a Birdbath

Hanging Bath

• To court the patronage of birds who prefer to keep to the trees, make a lightweight, hanging birdbath. Use the largest plastic beverage jug you can (a gallon or bigger) and cut off the top, leaving it open and easy to access. Make four evenly-spaces holes in the sides near the top, at least an inch down from the edge, and hang the bath from a tree branch using heavy twine. For ease of positioning, don't fill the bath with water before you hang it, but use a watering can to fill it afterward.

Bird Shower

• For a variation on both the ground pond (or short basin) and hanging bath designs, make a basic bird shower. Make a few small nail holes (no more than three or four, or the water will drip too fast) in the bottom of a large liquid jug and hang it, filled with water, about three or four feet above a full basin bath. Birds will gather below and enjoy the dripping water.

Ground Pond

• Birdbaths don't need to be elevated; build a standard ground pond in your yard and birds will use it as a bath, while you enjoy the beauty of the water body--so long as you keep it shallow (about three inches or less). Ponds can be a more complex undertaking than other kinds of birdbaths, so consider this only if you're interested in a more heavy-duty landscaping project. (See Resource section for a guide to get started.)

Simple Recycled Bath

• This short basin design resembles a pedestal birdbath but is made from recycled items. Use an overturned clay pot (a terra cotta planting pot is best) as the base. Place an overturned plastic lid (like a clean garbage can lid) or a small child's saucer sled on the base and fill with water. To make this design more permanent, attach the two items with a generous amount of epoxy glue and spray paint the bath to match your outdoor decor. This bath looks good when placed in the midst of a flower garden or an area with short shrubbery.

Tree Crook Bath

• If your outdoor area contains some youngish trees growing very close together, or a single tree with a trunk split into clusters low to the ground, you may be able to use this crook area as a place to position a bath. Use a small basin and press it down into the crook, then fill with water. This bath makes for excellent photo opportunities featuring both birds and trees.