Bird Bath DIY| How to Help the Birds Stay Cool This Summer

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This bird bath DIY is the perfect fun, quick and easy way to give back to nature in your patio setting this summer.

Normally, I am not a fan of how bird baths look……. I am really picky about how they look.

I wanted to incorporate something that looked like it fit into my patio surroundings without it being noticeably a “bird bath.”

Birds are pretty exploratory in nature, and they really do not require a sign that says “bird bath hotel.”

They’ll figure it out.

What You’ll Need

-An old planter

-a dog bowl or plate with a dip

In This Image

–Dog Bowl

–Cream Planter

–Vintage wood bookshelf (linked a modern find)

–Privacy Screen

Bird Bath DIY- Color Choice

Typically, birds are drawn to colors that are most like their own coloring.

Also, most agree that white as a bird bath is not a great color (it can induce fear as it is a “warning color in plumage”).

However, birds and other animals such as squirrels have been enjoying my bird bath despite the cream coloring.

Originally, I was going to change the bird bowl coloring to a darker color.

I noticed how the birds in my area were interacting with white and cream surfaced objects and decided against it.

The birds in my area seem to be okay with cream and white surfaces and interact with the surface in a calm and restful nature.

So, I became okay with my decision after seeing their positive response to cream surfaces.

But if I do end up buying a bird bath, I’ll probably pick a color that isn’t white, just in case.

Why We Should Water the Birds

Bird baths are used by a lot of other animals besides birds.

I remember last summer seeing a squirrel in the mid-day heat scurrying across a residential street….. and stopping midway because he was so overheated, to rest…..then it continued to cross the street to safety.

After that, I became increasingly aware that these animals depend on our kindness as the months get hotter.

Maintenance

It is important to maintain clean water for the bird bath, so please change the water every few days.

Don’t fill the water too full and put a rock in the bowl so the birds can perch.

Birds can drown in bird baths if you are not careful with the water level.

Try to make the water cool and store in a well shaded area.

I have mine perched on a vintage wood shelf that I use to place planters on. (If you had an Irish/Canadian grandma, you probably do the same thing (Idk?)….vintage garden items of wood and metal in a garden do my late grandmother proud)

Directions

Place an old planter upside down.

Place the bowl or plate on top of the upside-down planter.

Let the bowl be a few inches deep of water so that the bird can safely drink from it.

Kindness

When I was a little girl, I was friends with a girl down the street and we would often play at her house, and during the summer swim in her parents’ pool.

One time, while riding our bikes she wanted to introduce me to her friends “Mr. & Mrs. Blocks,” who coincidentally lived at the end of the block.

Mr. Blocks (in his 70s) was busy putting peanut butter and bird seed on the side of their front yard tree, and Mrs. Blocks got us popsicles as we watched in awe at how Mr. Blocks took care of his birds.

They weren’t his birds, but he watched out for them.

The memory of this has stuck with me for thirty-one years and helped to inspire this bird bath DIY blog post.

Another thing was that this post was supposed to go up last weekend…. because the heat waves have been terrible.

I couldn’t post it because I was mentally and emotionally exhausted after hearing and seeing footage of Alika Ogorchukwu being beaten to death in Italy.

He died with onlookers standing by and doing nothing (but recording it), and I had to sit with this anger, sadness and disappointment in humanity for a while.

So many people still remain silent.

Either from agreeing with the violence, or from embarrassment or from pretending everything is fine.

This is my reminder to anyone who reads this blog post.

No human is better than another.

Kindness is not weakness.

Distract violent people and have someone record the incident.

Recording it can be used for proof to authorities if you witness an assault happen.

Never assume the role of a coward in society.

Be vigilant.

Be kind.

Stay safe and look out for others.

I hope this blog post inspires some kindness towards animals and humans.

Take care.

-Nikita