Can a bird bath be too deep
Bird baths do run the risk of being too deep, but in reality the tragedy of drowning birds is a rare one, but can be avoided if to shallow the bird bath water bowl.
Bird baths can be too deep so you need to make it shallow, the use of stones to line the base helps to creates better footing for birds. And so to does a handful of rocks to create an artificial perch in the center of the bowl. Depth of bird bath must be kept below 2 inches, with stones never allowing water to run deeper.
Sure, to keep the bird bath at a low depth can benefit the birds as they make their way in the water to bathe or drink, but can assist you a little more.
Shallow water in bird baths is easier to maintain than the depths of a too deep bird bath where its hard to see the bottom.
Its then possible to see algae growing but at the same time understand when to clean the water, as dirty water is noticed quicker with less in the bowl.
You should put out water for birds in any bird bath that is deemed safe in your yard, but do so by prioritizing a shallow depth. And it is possible to manipulate the water depth as stones can be 2 inches from the rim - thus the water level can never go above this.
Deep bird bath water can be unsanitary because there's more of it you can't seen on the base; to keep it shallow the stones on the base can be visible, and so to any build up of grime.
Birds are not stupid, they won't enter the water if its too deep, so may only drink if they feel its unsafe to bathe.
Bird baths can be too deep
Indeed, a bird bath of any kind can be too deep for your backyard birds, at its risks the birds getting in trouble as they happily frolic, but can unfortunately drown.
Too deep bird baths can be a water depth of over 2 inches at a push, so to be only 2 inches or below is what would be a safe, not too deep bird bath.
How deep should a bird bath actually be is anywhere between 1 and a half, to 2 inches.
This would then be in conjunction with a bird bath constructed in a material that naturally allows footing - with stone bird baths being safer than slippery metal.
Depth of bird bath must accommodate all wild bird species, with larger birds finding it harder to bathe, but all birds would find it easy to re-hydrate without running the risk of drowning in the process.
Keep your bird bath under well below 2 inches at all times then, but this must be used with stones on the base and a rock or several to act as a perch, submerged in the water.
Avoid too deep bird baths
What the best type of bird bath would be is one that is not too deep to begin with, so do buy carefully if you don't own a bird bath quite yet.
Some bird baths are so shallow and small, those wouldn't be worth your time as you'd have trouble actually keeping water in the bird bath, so its OK to go for something a little deeper in the center of the water bowl.
What you might find to be the bird bath you would need is one that is on a stand, so is elevated off the ground, or a bowl only bird bath for placing on a surface or on the ground level.
Generally, the design of these bird baths use a bowl that has a rim that slowly slopes down into the deepest part of the bowl in the center.
Whether its too deep or not only you can tell, but rest assured if it was to deep when you bought it, there are solutions to correcting this, at a little extra cost.
Stones make it shallow
How you would correct a too deep bird bath is by simply using a number of stones that would line the water bowl, as they are kept submerged under water at all times.
Two ways these stones or pebbles can benefit not only you, but more importantly the birds who use it.
First thing, the stones act as a grip when birds enter the water to bathe or drink; secondly, the stones can help bring the water level down by rising the stones up to a safer level - thus the depth of the water can never be too deep.
Bird baths can be too deep but they can be fixed with use of stones, and stones alone.
To use stones lined on the bird bowl bowl base is a safe and secure way to make sure the water level can't go above what you set the stones in - and that would be no deeper than the 2 inches as I've mentioned previously.
Shallow the bird bath with stones, so if it rains the water can only overflow, yet the water depth cannot go any deeper, under any circumstances.
Run a risk of drowning
I find lining the bird bath with stones to be the most effective way of countering the water depth - be it filled too high by you or if the rain fills up the bird bath naturally.
Birds do run the risk of drowning if you don't properly prepare the bird bath for them.
Out of the box bird baths are safe for sure, but a busy bird bath can cause the less unfortunate, but often weaker adults or young birds to get caught up in the melee.
How that would happy is they would be stepped on or hurt in the process, thus drowning in the water. To counter that you can only shallow the water but this is not a guarantee.
While your at it, I would prevent the birds getting too excited in a large water bowl by adding several rocks to make it a smaller play area.
I therefore believe the frolicking or fighting cannot disrupt into too much of a frenzy, as birds can use a close rock to escape.
Drowning birds in a bird bath set in the yard is a rare occurrence that's for sure, so I can only say don't worry about it too much.
Conclusion
Absolutely can a bird bath be too deep, as it always runs the risk of birds getting into trouble if entering a too deep end, as they are unable to swim.
Its best to accommodate any kind of bird bath by making it no deeper than 2 inches only, but a little less is far better.
This depth can accommodate most common backyard birds who are seen to use a bird bath, and while larger birds would suffer most in terms of bathing, a less than 2 inch depth can allow all birds to re-hydrate in safety.
You can avoid a too deep bird bath from the get go, but if you feel yours is too deep, and is above the 2 inch recommended depth - then this can be corrected with little expense.
Simply buy a bag of stones that are designed to be used under water, but more so for an outdoor pond.
Line the water bowl of the bird bath completely to create a flat, equal part 2 inch depth.
Now birds have plenty of footing when entering the water, yet it wouldn't hurt to add a nice set of stones to act as perches within the water bowl, so they don't always have to perch around the rim.
When a bird bath is too deep, it runs the risk of birds drowning, so all you can do is shallow the water depth but remember, drowning is a rare occurrence.
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