Try a hanging bird bath in small spaces.

A hanging bird bath allows you to offer water to your backyard birds even when you don't have an appropriate space for a traditional bird bath.  A hanging bowl or basin or a mounted bird bath may work in spaces that are too small, where plantings may obscure your view of it, or when the ground level is too slopped or uneven.  Between a hanging bird bath and a mounted bird bath, you're sure to find something that fills the need, pleases your tastes, and has your feathered friends flocking to your door.

These types of bird bath have the advantage of not having a large footprint or any footprint at all ... at least not on the ground like the traditional models.

The hanging bird bath, as you might expect, hangs by a hook from anywhere you can find a space to dangle it.  Tree branches, shepherd crook pole, deck rail hardware, even from a gutter.

The mounted bird bath tops some piece of hardware or sits on a shelf that attaches to objects like walls, tree trunks, fences, deck rails, free-standing  poles, or ground stakes.  Some mount on platforms made to fit in corners.

A hanging model is likely to be shallow, while a mounted bird bath often has more potential for depth.  Assure that slippery surfaces or bowls with no gradual slope have the addition of stones, a rock, a block of wood, or some "perch" to make the birds more comfortable.  In nature, they tend to feel safest in water that they can "wade" in.

Don't overlook consideration of a combination bird bath and waterer.  These designs have the flexibility to be either hung or mounted.  They have reservoirs holding generous amounts of water that continuously fill bowls placed around the reservoir base for birds to drink and bathe. 

Do some preliminary analysis of your preferences and hanging or mounted bird bath features:

  • Is the place you plan to hang a bird bath protected from wind?  Or, is it out in the open?  Wind can rock a light-weight hanging bird bath spilling out the water.
  • Will it be easy for you to reach the bath so you can frequently add fresh water and conveniently clean it?
  • Will it be out of the way of human traffic where it could be a nuisance?
  • The pricing of many hanging and mounted baths is often less than traditional ground and pedestal models.  But there may not be as much of a selection.  Shop around.
  • Will the size, shape and preferred placement of the bird bath encourage the birds you want to attract?  Many hanging styles are small with shallow basins that are perfect for small finches and chickadees but perhaps not for the larger robins or doves.  If you hang a basin in a tree, will tight branches get in the way of larger birds trying to negotiate their way to it?

When you place a new hanging or mounted bird bath in your habitat, it may take the birds a while to become accustomed to it.  Once they do, they'll surely reward your effort and delight you with their antics!

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