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Glass mosaic bird bath sitting on steel legs among foliage

Are glass bird baths too slippery

What material bird baths are made in does take wild bird safety in mind, with a glass bird bath certainly bringing issues along with it, yet isn't something that can't be fixed.

Glass bird baths can be slippery as the glass would effect mostly larger, heavier birds, with smaller backyard birds happy to perch on the glass rim. Glass bird baths can be made none-slippery by adding pebbles to the base, with rocks to act as secondary perches, thus the glass can be avoided.

When wild birds feel the need to use a bird bath made available by you, make no mistake about it, what material the bird bath is made in will make no difference whatsoever - its more important to hydrate and bathe to a bird.

Coincidence it may be though as the conditions set within a glass water bowl just could be enough to allow some large birds to enter the water safely.

If the bird bath water depth would of been too deep then smaller birds would probably avoid it as they have nowhere to safely perch.

Birds certainly will appreciate a glass bird bath yet you'd need to do your best to make it safe as possible.

First you'd need to find a way for all wild birds to sidestep the glass surface all together by covering the base with pebbles, along with a two or three rocks could be set on the pebbles to act as better located perches.

Now all your backyard birds can enter the water to drink or bathe, while they can perch on the rocks while completely avoiding the glass rim.

Best material for bird baths is stone with metal or plastic at least offering some footing.

Glass bird baths don't provide this kind of rugged surface thus its up to you to make it so, and it really can be. Simply add the pebbles and rocks as suggested will bring a glass bird bath up to the standards as the best of them, with a great bonus...

Made in glass bird baths are super reflective under the sun of which, this can grab the attention of any passing birds.

Slippy surface is a concern

Straight up made in glass bird baths can absolutely be on the slippery side, due to a solid glass surface that would effect any wild bird attempting to perch directly on it.

What this will lead to is serious danger for wild birds, as it may not be appropriate for you to make use of a glass bird bath - be it a cheap bird bath or indeed if one is made at additional cost - as its common to ignore effective upgrades needed with glass.

Glass bird baths are made in glass all over with the water bowl wild birds enter to bathe or drink, certainly causing issues with birds.

On the plus side, this same glass bird bath will of course provide a rim which is usually the location where wild birds can perch. Small bird species like Finches or Warblers will perch here, then hop down into the water source.

With that, glass bird bath water bowls can also be made safer, or at least accessible, by putting items in the water that act as a rugged footing with additional rocks.

Certainly, bird baths do continue to be a good idea, yet they can be avoided by wild birds at all costs, simply by using the wrong material its made in.

Birds probably will avoid

Worst thing that can happen when utilizing a made in glass bird bath that will be a bit too slippery for larger, heavier birds... is it will end up not being used at all.

Smaller common backyard birds will use it for sure yet birds like Blue Jays and Cardinals who do use bird baths, may find it a little too light under their feet, thus will proceed to fly away, for the bird bath to never be used.

With the possibility of wild birds avoiding your particular glass bird bath, it being prone to slipping and sliding can certainly be blamed.

What you mustn't forget it is always hard to get wild birds to use bird baths in any bird bath material build, thus you don't want to put more barriers in the way.

Glass bird baths can be more reflective in the light which will reflect colorful beams of lights in the environment surrounding the bird bath location. Make bird bath none-slippy if you can then you would see an uptake in use, by all wild birds in the yard.

Attractive, but impractical

Made in glass bird baths do usually come in an attractive mosaic style glass with a tinted blue and clear glass surface.

Glass bird baths can be made quite deep - or at least far above the recommended 1 to inch depth maximum - and therefore would make it highly impractical.

Bird baths made on a stand will indeed be deeper because they are made larger.

Whereas bird baths that are made to be suspended in any material do tend to be shallow in nature, because they are smaller.

To overcome impracticality in any style of glass bird baths, do be sure to add a level of pebbles to make the glass water bowl far more shallow. With a shallow bird bath you may still want to add pebbles to cover what is a slipper surface under the water.

What else you can do to open up what was previously an unusable glass bird bath, is to put rocks that protrude out of the water line, as it will act as new perching locations for the birds... thus the glass surface can now be completely avoided.

Conclude

By default you can absolutely expect a glass bird bath to be a little on the slipper side, yet in theory it won't effect what are super light wild birds.

Sliding on a glass surface will be introduced by what are larger, heavier birds who will feel unsafe while perching on a glass bird bath rim. Yet for smaller birds like House Finches or Robins, a glass surface will be none issue really.

Go with the idea of what is going to be a slippery surface though because it will benefit you to make it none-slippery in the long run.

How to make a glass bird bath none-slippery will involve putting pebbles in the water bowl, where they'd be submerged in the water at all times.

Now wild birds will step on what are minuscule compacted pebbles rather than a potential dangerous glass bird bath bowl.

What else is a must would involve putting one or two good size but flat rocks that partially protrude out of the water to act as safe to use perches.

Birds will naturally perch around the rim of a glass bird bath and will do so without a problem; only if you add rocks along with pebbles then all birds who come to visit can avoid every part of the glass surface.

Glass bird baths certainly are attractive while giving out light and reflection in the sun, in what can attract birds to a bird bath without a running water feature.

Impractical they can be at face value while its certainly possible to make a glass bird bath highly practical when adding pebbles and rocks to make it safe.

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