How to Make a Winter Bird Bath

Many people have a bird bath in the spring, summer and fall months but once the winter temperatures arrive, the bird bath is gone for the year. The problem is that birds still need water during the winter months and often have a difficult time finding it. Instead of having an ice-filled bird bath or not providing any water at all, you can create a winter bird bath that will allow the birds that frequent your bird bath in the warmer months to continue to bathe in your garden during the cooler months.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wooden box of any size
• Drill
• Car battery warmer
• Food-saver container
• Hook and loop fastener
• Rock
• Screws (optional)

Build a Winter Bird Bath

1. Buy or build a wooden box, any size, but 14 inches by 14 inches is a reasonable size.

2. Drill a hole big enough for the power cord of the car battery warmer to be threaded through toward the bottom of the box. Thread cord through the hole.

3. Apply hook and loop tape to the bottom of the box and the bottom of the car battery warmer and attach. Turn top of box over so the bottom of the box is facing up.

4. Place the food-saver container on top of the box. You can also choose to screw or attach this box with hook and loop fastener.

5. Place rock in center of the food-saver container.

6. Fill food container with 3 to 5 inches of water.

7. Plug in the car battery warmer.

Tips & Warnings

• Screwing the food-saver container to the wooden box must be done carefully as you don't want to drill into the car battery warmer. All-weather glue could also be used to attach the food-saver container so long as it can be heated slightly. If you have a large winter bird population you may want to make several winter bird baths, placing more than one rock to be used as a perch in each bath.
• Be careful to keep the dish filled with water at all times or the container could become too warm and actually warp or melt. Ensure that you do not fill the bowl with more than 3 to 5 inches of water, as this is the adequate height for most birds.