Experts Reveal Why Putting Your Bird Bath Next to the Feeder Could Do More Harm Than Good
Photographer Tony Austin shared with NPR that one day, he felt he had gotten lucky when a flock of crows landed near him during a nature walk. But then, he saw that a crow's body was covered in tiny black ants. Only later did Austin realize that crows love to take luxurious “ant baths,” so that the ants' chemical secretions help them cleanse their bodies and fight off infections. Picture that a gardener unknowingly placed a bird feeder next to a crow’s bathhouse. A crow would arrive with its flockmates, dripping with armies of ants. It would shake its body, and some ants would fall into the feeder sitting nearby, spoiling the bird food.
Just like humans, birds like to have their dining area separate from their bathing area. Location matters. In conversation with Real Simple, Tod Winston, birding guide and urban biodiversity specialist with NYC Bird Alliance, urged gardeners and birders to pay close attention to the location of their bird baths. "A well-maintained birdbath can greatly increase the variety of birds that nest in your yard, visit during migration, and spend the winter," Winston said. Above everything else, he suggested maintaining a considerable distance and correct positioning between the feeder and the bird bath. "Never put a bath directly below your birdfeeder, to avoid soiling the water," he said.
As for choosing the best location for your bird bath, one factor that triumphs over others is “shade.” The ideal positioning is the one where the shade is neither too much nor too less, a balance of cool shelter and warm glow of the Sun. “Shade will keep your bathwater fresh and discourage the growth of algae, which flourishes in heat,” explained Winston. In a post, a Reddit user recommended placing a bird bath “under a tree,” a spot that offers a perfect mix of shade and sunlight. Plus, the cool air lapping on the bird’s body from the rustling tree leaves above is a bonus for them while they enjoy the splish-splash of their grooming session.
Apart from shade, a birdkeeper can add to their list the element of “plants.” Avid birdwatchers believe that the variety of plants you cultivate near your bird bath determines, to a large extent, how many birds will be attracted to it. “If you really want to attract birds, you need to plant things they utilize. Plants that will attract birds based on the availability of nectar, seed, and insects will do a lot more than a bird bath or even a feeder,” said the Reddit user, u/The_Poster_Nutbag. If you have limited space, say, a small balcony, to install both the birdbath and the feeder, Winston suggested some quick measurements.
The “3 or 30 rule,” for instance, is for when there’s a window in your balcony. Make the goal of setting up the bathhouse either within 3 feet of the window or farther than 30 feet from the window so that the birds don’t injure themselves by colliding with the window. Lastly, consider the aspect that different birds have different tastes in luxury and style. Hummingbirds, for example, love a bathhouse which comes with a misty sprayer or a fountain. Woodstock, on the other hand, would prefer one that has a roof on top so he doesn’t get soused in a torrent of rain should the clouds above him burst all of a sudden.