How wide should a bird bath be
Width of a bird bath will usually correlate to a large bird bath being wider, whereas a small bird bath has a tiny bowl, none of which can increase use by local birds.
How wide should a bird bath be is entirely up to you, as there are no hard or fast rules of a birth bath width; thus a wider bird bath can be used if it will compliment your yard. Whilst a smaller bird bath, and therefore a narrower bird bath basin, is for a small yard or if you have limited outdoor space.
Don't pay much attention to the width of the bird bath unless you plan to attract a ton of birds daily to it, which many of us aren't so lucky to.
Width of a bird bath can be helpful if the big bird bath, which it will be, can cater to small and large size birds in a busy yard. It can be up to 2 feet wide in fact yet a smaller bird bath only has a 6 or so inch difference.
By default, bird baths tend to be quite wide in the water bowl basin as it must hold as much water that is needed over a period of several days.
Whereas a to narrow, and therefore a small bird bath basin will hold too less water which can be rapidly used up by birds, but more than likely the sun would of dried it all up.
Personally, I'll put the average width of a bird bath water bowl basin at 19 to 22 inches.
Think less about width of bird bath basin then because it really depends on if you like the bird bath or not; like if it compliments your backyards landscape theme, so more importantly, the bird bath can last the test of time.
Where you can expect a narrow bird bath basin is on deck mounted bird baths or indeed made in glass, decorated bird baths.
Similarly, a ground bird bath would be smaller as the lawn or patio its situated in tends to require a smaller bowl which can avoid being kicked or tripped over all the time.
And never expect what birds like as a hanging bird bath to be very wide, as a too wide hanging bird bath will always bump into a wall or fence in what must be several inches of clearing.
How wide would tall bird baths on a stand be would be a standard size, yet the widest available bird baths you can buy will always sit on a stand of some kind.
How wide is up to you
How wide a bird bath should be will usually correspond to the size of the bird bath overall; thus a small bird bath will be made with a narrower bird bath basin.
Biggest bird baths that you can buy then, which will usually correlate to made in stone bird baths - will utilize a bird bath up to 2 feet or so. Dimensions take into consideration total width, whereby the bird bath water bowl width will be a few inches in.
How wide should a bird bath be would actually be up to you, with a yard requiring a larger, and therefore a wider bird bath - or if in a much smaller yard space, then make it a narrow bird bath bowl.
Really, there's no hard or fasts rules when it comes a wide or narrow bird bath, it just depends on if you like the bird bath or not.
Utilize an extra wide bird bath if using a tall bird bath on a stand as to open up a highly visible bird bath to attract wild birds to a larger water surface.
Whereas if you can't afford a bird bath to take up to much room, at least make sure the narrow bird bath basin, or the bird bath on a stand style doesn't risk being top-heavy.
Width plays no role to attract birds
With all that said and done, I can assure you the width of any type of bird bath plays no part in its success, or indeed its failure.
How birds will find your bird bath is if the water feature, hence the water in the bird bath wide or narrow basin; is found by birds briefly perching near by in the yard, or whenever wild birds soar overhead, flying above and across backyard.
OK I'd admit a wider bird bath basin would mean a wider body of water that can be more noticeable than a small water bowl, but there's no way of saying if that's actually true.
I still don't believe the width of a bird bath water bowl or basin can attract more birds.
Birds find bird bath by sight only with sounds of running water made via a water fountain feature or if using a gadget that creates ripples on the water surface.
Make it a bird bath as wide as you like whilst prioritizing additional accessories to place in the bird bath bowl.
Utilize flat basin to use water feature
What you probably will get out of a wider bird bath, if its made in stone or metal especially - is a wider basin that would be flat rather than the curve associated with small bird bath bowls.
How a larger bird bath basin can benefit you and your birds more is because the depth of the bird bath will be shallower - in which can be helpful when attracting birds.
Think of a wider, extra large bird bath basin interior as a playground for adding toys.
First choice would be a solar powered bird bath fountain feature of which, the panel can only be submerged under water on a flat, shallow basin. Opposite to that is a small bird bath with a curve in the bowl which can be hard to sit a fountain feature in.
Similarly, you may want to utilize a bird bath 'Ripple' machine which also sits preferably on a wide flat basin - which can do its job of creating ripples in a larger area.
However, a too wide bird bath, and equally a too deep bird bath basin can prevent gadgets you use to create running water in bird baths, which is what birds are attracted to above all else.
Utilize a wide, shallow bird bath basin then to make it easy on you to make the sound of running water, or indeed attract birds by sight with the glistening of ripples.
Wide bowl if busy with birds
Wider than normal bird baths aren't without their benefits, as an extra large, and therefore a very wide bird bath basin can be essential in a busy with birds garden.
To find a middle ground with all size birds in your yard, I will suggest a water depth of 1 inch only, thus larger birds plus the small backyard birds can share the same bird bath.
Why that is important because you may receive a large number of common backyard birds, who frequently attend your bird bath to drink or bathe.
Bird do prefer a bird bath that is stable, not too deep, yet provides lots of area to frolic.
And that is why an extra wide bird bath can come in useful as it can keep the boisterous larger birds away from the small, delicate birds if they insist on entering the water to frolic around to bathe.
Otherwise, all wild birds will probably perch on the rim of the bird bath just to drink.
With all that said, do counter an extra wide bird bath should you go down that road with an even wider bird bath base; a wide top heavy bird bath can't topple over so easy if the base on the ground isn't matches the top basin width.
Bird bath width summary
Really, how wild should your own bird bath be for your specific needs is entirely up to you, if you want it big then go nuts if you want the bird bath to be seen, and be the center of attention in your yard.
Downside of a narrower bird bath I might add is the bird bath water bowl basin may be less noticeable by passing birds, so therefore will be used less.
Regardless, I still believe the average width of a bird bath, large or small, to be approximately 19 to 22 inches wide.
Width is measured to the outer rim of the bird bath bowl, whereas the bird bath basin that stores water is always going to be several inches narrower.
The width of a bird bath will play no role in attracting birds to your bird bath because there's little size difference.
What you must do is utilize a colorful bird bath or indeed situate the bird bath in a colorful area within the yard for birds to find it. Whereby to add a fountain feature or a gadget to make ripples on the water surface can all be utilized to attract birds to any size bird bath.
With an extra wide bird bath they do tend to be made with a shallow basin, and therefore a flat base which devices can be used to make running or moving water.
To go beyond a standard width on a bird bath when making the most of an extra wide bird bath water basin - can be used in order to cater to a yard that is so busy with wild birds - the extra width can allow all birds to bathe or hydrate at a safer distance.
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