How far should a bird bath be from a bird feeder
Keep a bird bath away from hanging bird feeders as birds are likely to poop in the water far more often, with that a bird feeder placement does always take precedence.
How far should a bird bath be from a bird feeder is a minimum of 10 feet. Birds droppings can carry in the wind thus will fall sideways into the bird bath set too close to the bird feeders hung above. Change location accordingly if to much bird poop is seen in the water but always prioritize bird feeder location.
I can tell you now if you have a yard with limited space then don't despair, continue to locate a bird bath close to the bird feeders if it means birds get to benefit with both.
If your backyard or living space allows a minimum of 10 feet or more, than space out bird bath away from bird feeders to this recommended minimum distance.
What is more important than anything else is prioritizing bird feeders over bird baths, because for 365 days of the year a reliable food source in your yard is vital to common backyard birds survival.
Bird baths are used less because water is often plentiful in nature, thus natural food can become scarce if birds simply depend on you for bird food.
How far should a bird bath be is still within sight of bird feeders because if visiting birds can see your bird bath while perched on bird feeders - you never know you may be able to tempt them to bathe or re-hydrate.
Situate bird feeders preferably in the open with plenty of clearing, yet remains close to any natural coverage if at all possible for birds to dive for cover.
Same positioning goes for bird baths, all though the bird feeders will have to take the only spot that can provide the ideal location.
Far as you can spare
Where a bird bath should be situated when sharing a space with a single or group of bird feeders, must be set apart at a distance you can afford.
Birds are likely to come to your yard for what is a bird food that meets their dietary needs; with bird baths they are less of a priority for most of the year - when a bird bath is only used in hotter days when birds like to preen or re-hydrate more.
How far apart should a bird bath be from a bird feeder is inconsequential if your yard can only allow a short distance due to limited space.
OK your bird bath may see bird droppings in it more because its under or too close to perching birds - but that is the price to pay to provide both food and water.
If your backyard can provide a good amount of space then do keep them at a distance where bird bath and bird feeders remain visible to passing over - or to get birds notice who come to temporary land in your yard to rest.
With all that being said, I must tell you to still prioritize bird feeders over a bird bath as the bird food is a vital part of a birds survival.
Keep feeders full of fresh bird food with a regular replenished bird bath to keep bird bath clean of debris or bird poop - all while cleaning up the area around both feeder and bath.
10 feet minimum
If you can only afford to space out bird bath to bird feeders within only a foot or two, then so be it, you just have to stay on top of cleaning out the bird bath more often.
However to have a bird bath only 10 feet apart from the bird baths can guarantee bird poop at least doesn't pile up in the bird bath water in a short amount of time.
Birds perch on top of bird feeders and while a bird bath doesn't have to be directly below it - wind can blow the poop over to the bird bath within 6 feet.
How far apart should bird bath be from bird feeder than to play it safe, is at 10 feet minimum.
I could suggest you situate the bird bath at a wider distance, only then you could begin to obstruct or hide the bird bath to an area of the yard that is unseen, or never visited by birds who frequent your yard.
Besides that, there really is no need to go overboard when spacing out bird bath to bird feeders - as they both could sit side-by-side if your limited yard space allows it.
Prioritize where to place your bird feeders at first, followed by a location where to safely position your bird bath, while allowing full access by birds at all times.
Change location accordingly
Good thing about distancing your bird bath away from your bird feeders is nothing is set in stone - as things can be moved around later.
Hang your bird feeders off a bird feeder pole as you would, then position the bird bath near it to get noticed - or situate bird bath somewhere around it if the space allows it.
If bird feeder doesn't get used at all then change location or switch places with the bird bath. Allow time to elapse then change things around again if bird feeders are unused.
Prioritize a more accessible, more visible area for bird feeders only while a bird bath must be second priority at all times.
When prioritizing a suitable spot for bird feeders to hang or a platform bird feeder to sit, then make sure you do providing they are see by birds in the air when the pass over.
If the bird feeders must be hung in a tree then do so if the bird bath has to sit directly below it - it would be a good idea to at least offset the bird bath to prevent bird droppings, but don't re-position the bird feeders for the sake of a far less used bird bath.
Prioritize bird feeder placement
When a bird feeder is setup in the yard they are usually hung off a bird feeder pole in the center of the yard, or hung off a bracket on a fence or the brick wall.
Bird feeders will then be positioned usually smack dab in the middle of the yard.
Benefit to that is birds can see the bird feeders hanging up as they pass over or for birds to notice when the frequent the yard to forage.
Now imagine uprooting bird feeders in this perfect spot just to accommodate a bird bath that will be used far less, or not at all.
Birds like to feed in the open with shrubs or trees near by so they can quickly take cover.
With that in mind keep bird feeders hanging off a pole set near to any shrubs at 10 or so feet if you can - never move bird feeders further away to squeeze in a bird bath set in-between - although it can work if the space allows it.
Similar to any kind of bird feeders for peanuts, suet or seed, is where the best place to hang a hummingbird feeder is on a bird feeder pole too; set up in a bright open clearing for hummingbirds to feed alone, with a bird bath even less likely to be used.
Prioritize bird feeder placement before a bird bath of any kind, although that isn't to say you should downgrade a bird bath position.
Birds can absolutely still frequently use a bird bath in your yard thus its vital this position is maintained still, with bird feeders not too far away from the bird bath.
With all that said do hang bird feeders up to 4-6 feet off the ground minimum, while never allowing hanging bird feeders to be at the same level of a bird bath on the ground.
To summarize up
How far apart should a bird bath be from a bird feeder is what you can provide, if a bird feeder must be hung above a bird bath then so be it.
Of course a bird bath sitting directly below bird feeders isn't a good life choice as bird droppings will always be seen to land in the bird bath water. Similarly, a bird bath sitting near to hanging bird feeders can still see bird poop blown over to it in the wind.
Regardless, a bird bath is still going to see birds poop in it as they normally do.
What you must prioritize more than any thing else is feeding wild birds, thus your bird feeder or group of feeders must take precedence over a less used bird bath.
Both bird feeders and bird baths can jointly be used successfully, its just helps to try and prevent birds pooping into the bird bath water.
If your backyard is big enough then space out bird feeders and bird bath up to 10 feet.
Far less is possible but remember birds droppings can be carried in the air by the wind.
Locating a bird bath near a bird feeder can be taken care of later if too much poop is seen in the water - which isn't a bad thing because you can change things around according to your needs.
Prioritize bird feeder placement before bird bath as a source of food is far more important to birds who come to remember where your bird feeders are.
Absolutely should you continue to offer a water source - preferably with moving water with the sound of a fountain - especially in times of drought or hot summer months.
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