How deep should a bird bath be
With all size birds likely to frequent any bird bath to drink or bathe when needed, depth of the bird bath water must be at a low level as small birds risk getting into trouble.
When receiving mostly large birds in your bird bath daily, fill the water depth to 2 inches. Whereas if you receive mostly small bird species in your bird bath, then only fill it to a safe 1 inch. As you're likely to receive a 50/50 split between all size birds - keep the bird bath depth to 1 inch still by lining the base with pebbles.
Depth of a bird bath can vary because it depends on what style of bird bath you are in possession of, of which its imperative you manipulate the water depth.
To do that you'd line the bird bath basin with as many pebbles as it takes to bring the water depth to 1 to 2 inches only. With only 1 to 2 inches to the top of the bird bath, there's no risk of the water getting any deeper as it simply flows out over the sides, in case of if it rains.
When shooting for a 2 inch water depth in your bird bath then you'd be attracting mostly larger birds to your bird bath, who would benefit with a depth like this.
On the other hand, smaller birds can risk drowning in what is deep water level to them, thus a 1 inch depth must be prioritized for smaller birds only.
To attract all size birds to a bird bath in a safe manner, you must forget about the 2 inch depth when the 1 inch deep bird bath can cater to all size birds.
Shallow bird bath it may be for larger birds but at least they can still drink, even if they find it hard to bathe properly.
On the plus side the advantage of a shallow bird bath would mean you can apply running water devices - which is needed to attract birds too - whereas a static bird bath with a deep water level will continue to be unused.
Sun does risk drying up a shallow bird bath but I hope you stay on top of it.
As you would clearly be able to see within a shallow water depth, you should be able to spot signs of algae growing within the water early on, in which you can quickly get rid of.
2 inches when attracting big birds
How deep to fill a bird bath when mostly attracting larger bird species in your yard, would be approximately 2 inches.
Large birds are unable to make the most of a shallow bird bath water depth, thus they can struggle to properly preen themselves - but on the other hand they'd have no difficulty taking a drink of water when its needed.
Bird baths can only be deep when receiving up to 90% of larger birds in your yard, as the far smaller species will struggle to enter deep water.
Smaller species will still enter the water part of the way to bathe as well as perch around the rim or on top of rocks to lean over to hydrate; for the most part a depth of 2 inches will probably keep small birds out of bounds.
When receiving a 50/50 split between large to small birds in your yard, then you can think about lining the bird bath with pebbles to create a 2 inch depth, well at the same time make a shallow end.
Remember though, pebbles can shift about when stepped on thus the deep end is likely to become shallow after frequent use.
1 inch deep for small birds
Do cater to larger birds so they can dunk the lower half of their bodies within a safe 2 inch water depth.
Much like when Cardinals use bird baths or the much larger Blue Jays who will happily use a bird bath setup in your yard.
But what can we do about mostly smaller common backyard birds who will frequently use a bird bath, and probably more than the larger bird species as their numbers are higher.
Well, much like receiving mostly 90% of larger birds in your bird bath, if that percentage or thereabouts is switched to 90% smaller birds who are instead seen in the bird bath - then we can think about filling the bird bath basin to 1 inch of water only.
One inch of water is a safe water depth for Bluebirds to Robins who like to use bird baths, whereas your common large backyard birds can still hydrate with little issues.
OK, so a 1 inch depth can be hard for larger birds to properly bathe, but they still can whilst focusing our attention on the safety of small bird species.
Can't go wrong with about an inch
What if the bird bath use is taken up by an even split of large and small bird species, who seem to spend an equal amount of time in the bird bath on a daily basis.
With the 2 inch depth being a potential hazard for smaller birds to enter, where the 1 inch depth caters more to smaller birds but makes it hard for large birds - is it possible to find a common ground on water depth?
Well, for the safety of smaller birds potentially being on the end of drowning or getting in to trouble, let's just fill the water depth to approximately 1 inch only.
With bird baths being this shallow we can be sure all size birds get a chance of at least hydrating - which is the most important aspect of a bird bath - with neither bird species getting in to trouble when entering the water to bathe.
Bonus of a 1 inch or so bird bath water depth can in-directly benefit you in the process.
Your static water bird bath can go unnoticed but if we can find a way to keep the bird bath water moving - birds can be attracted to both noise and movement.
How you'd do that is center a solar powered fountain feature which will be partially submerged under the water - and for a solar powered bird bath to work - it can only be situated in a shallow water depth.
Can't go wrong with a 1 inch bird bath depth then and while larger birds can find it hard to bathe, they can still with effort; whilst at the same time there's zero risks of our smaller birds getting into trouble in a deep bird bath.
Reliable, steady water depth
How deep should a bird bath be would be 1 inch only to safely cater to small and larger bird species.
When receiving an equal number of difference size birds we need to find a common ground, with that common ground being a 1 inch water depth.
How deep is a bird bath can vary on style or design, but let's say the bird bath basin in question has a 5 inch depth.
Well, to fill a bird bath only 1 inch at the bottom can appear out of place, whilst birds can get into trouble sliding or hoping down the rim of the bird bath to reach the water.
What you will do then is actually fill the 5 inch deep bird bath with 4 inches of pebbles; only then when you fill it up with water can the bird bath depth only fill to approximately 1 inch.
You can manage the depth of a bird bath by lining the basin with pebbles to give you the desired depth you want. And as you'd rely on a 1 inch depth to keep smaller birds safe whilst allowing large birds to still bathe or drink, pebbles will be only 1 inch from the top.
Now when it rains the bird bath basin can't rise to deep as any additional flood water will simply spill over the sides.
Birds like all kinds of bird baths but they'd prefer a bird bath lined with pebbles as the stones provide footing to prevent incidents occurring within the water.
Summary
How deep should the water be in a bird bath would be approximately 2 inches at its deepest.
When favoring a depth of quite a deep 2 inch its essential to only fill a bird bath basin to this depth if you mostly receive larger birds like Northern Cardinals or Blue Jays in your bird bath, on a daily basis.
Larger birds tend to scare off smaller birds in a bird bath thus small species tend to stay well clear.
Large birds can take a depth of 2 inches to safely preen or drink as birds do; but what if you receive mostly smaller birds in your bird bath - with the larger Blue Jays or Cardinals never seen to use the bird bath.
Well then, now we must cater exclusively to smaller common backyard birds only, with a super safe depth of just 1 inch.
Small birds can enter a 1 inch deep bird bath with little risk of getting into trouble.
However, what do you do when you appear to receive an even 50/50 split between small to larger birds in your bird bath on a daily basis.
What you can do to keep all size birds satisfied is to still fill your bird bath water to 1 inch deep.
We must still be thinking more of keeping small birds safe, and while larger birds can still hydrate in shallow water - its a little harder for them to bathe. It doesn't matter though because small birds can't enter the water at all if its up to 2 inches deep.
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