Bird bath

Setting up a bird bath in your outdoor space is a wonderful way to help all kinds of wildlife, from bathing birds to drinking insects. It is good to have one all year round but it is particularly important in summer when water can become scarce.

You will need:

• A container
• Gravel
• Large stones
• Rain or tap water

Type of container

The container should be 30cm wide or more and up to 10cm deep at most. You could recycle an old container such as a dustbin lid. Or you will be able to purchase one at a garden centre.

Where to place the bird bath

Raise the container on some bricks or a secure stand in an open area. But make sure it is close to some cover such as a shrub so birds can easily escape and hide from predators.

How to fill the bird bath

Add some gravel to the base of the container to stop birds from slipping. Place some large stones that will poke out the water so that insects such as bees and butterflies can safely drink. Then fill the bird bath with water!

Preventing the water from freezing

Stopping the water in your bird bath from freezing in winter can be a challenge. Try adding a light ball, such as a ping pong ball, that will move and float in the breeze, this will keep some of the bath free of ice. If it does freeze over, you can try pouring hot water onto the ice to melt it.