Bird Bath

tencannz, Mar 5, 4:43pm
Just purchased a birdbath, but the birds are totally ignoring the thing. Do we just wait and hope we havent wasted our money or is there some way to tempt them to use it!
rsr72, Mar 5, 4:49pm
If new, give it a good clean and a scrub first, and position in a semi-shaded spotnear trees.
Some bread scattered nearby each day will bring them and they'll become used to using it.
tencannz, Mar 5, 4:55pm
Thanks rsr, not new but well scrubbed out. It is by a tree so will try the breadthingo and hope for the best. Cheers.
purplegoanna, Mar 5, 5:08pm
theyll need at least a fortnight to get used to it, birds are very cautious animals, watch it isnt to close to bushes and trees that cats can hide in it to stalk them, i just sprinkle bread crusts around the bottom daily for a week or two to help them gets used to the fact its there.ive got a huge one out on the lawn and im still putting bread around it.this morning it had backbirds, thrushes, hammerheads and sparrows all having a splash in it.
wheelz, Mar 5, 5:21pm
What's a hammerhead brd look like!
imagine4, Mar 5, 5:32pm
i got given a glass one with flowers .the birds will NOT go anywhere near it.I am thinking of painting it.
quiz3, Mar 5, 6:20pm
Just have patience, the birds will be checking out the surroundings I expect. You will be rewarded soon I'm sure.
We have 6 bb here, fill them everyday, love seeing the birds enjoying themselves.
Personally I wouldn't have it too close to trees as cats can hide in them and kappow.!
scout_6001, Mar 5, 6:38pm
I agree, birds will suss it out first, will take a few days.
hutchk, Mar 5, 7:33pm
Small, feathery, big pointy teeth.
rsr72, Mar 5, 7:43pm
We literally have just about every common species of bird in our city bird bath, and get groups of 5 or 6 or more in it at a time. They virtually all queue up on the lawn below or on overhanging branches to get a turn.
venna2, Mar 5, 10:00pm
I think I heard that tuis, and maybe other birds too, are attracted to the colour red. A while ago I bought a sale-price red container and put it on top of the fence and kept it full of sugar water over spring - and the tuis flocked to it for weeks. So maybe you could try either painting the top of your bird bath red, or putting a red container on top of it!
lemming2, Mar 5, 11:23pm
Yes, I'm wondering about those hammerheads, too.
mottly, Mar 6, 1:01am
the birds around here don't bother with the birdbath - they sit in the shallow end of my fish pond instead and flap around splashing etc. Takes them a while to get used to it all though.
purplegoanna, Mar 6, 4:39pm
sorry i meant yellowhammer.thats what u get with a husband who talks none stop fishing when your trying to type lol!
needy, Mar 6, 11:24pm
We have 20-30 yellow hammers when we feed each day they look a little like a budgie and at first that is what i thought they were. we feed the birds every day at 5 and they are waiting for their feed.But put out something different and they are a little wary
m.pat, Apr 6, 9:02am
a yellowhammer does not have a hook beak