You are right. Water for birds has two main functions, drinking and bathing. For bathing they should be about 2 inches deep or knee deep to a Robin with perching and escape cover to access when they are wet and vulnerable. For water for drinking, it helps that it is not in the sun and on hot days that water can mimic a hot water heater. Too many bird baths are too deep, hot, and are placed for status and visual impacts for the homeowner rather than for the birds. Remember birds need water for both functions every day of the year and in winter have a bird bath heater. The important thing is always having water available and placed for the birds.
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From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List <ARBIRD-L...> on behalf of Robert Day <rhday52...>
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2026 12:52 PM
To: <ARBIRD-L...> <ARBIRD-L...>
Subject: Re: Yellow-rumped Warblers
We have had a bird-bath for years, but not much action at it. This year, my wife planted Lantanas in the raised beds and put the bird-bath in the middle of the plants, which grew up around it. We had a LOT of birds coming to it this year, so we have begun to suspect that having some vegetation/cover around it may be what the birds were looking for. It almost looked like a small pool of water surrounded by plants.
My best guess.
Bob
Robert H. Day, Ph.D.
6303 SW Shady Side Avenue
Bentonville, AR 72713
cell: 907-460-7061; <rhday52...><mailto:<rhday52...>
On Wed, Oct 28, 2026 at 12:31 PM Elizabeth Shores <00001ea247eb9fcf-dmarc-request...><mailto:<00001ea247eb9fcf-dmarc-request...>> wrote:
We love the arrival of Yellow-rumped Warblers.
We have four birdbaths that are visited by very few birds, undoubtedly because they are not properly placed. What’s the secret?
The Yellow-rumped Warblers joined other winter migrants in my yard this morning. They are feeding in the oak trees and coming in for water. The drought is difficult on birds; they come to the waters and enjoy the sprinklers that I use to keep even my drought resistant shrubs like American Beautyberry alive until it rains. In my neighborhood there are 12 homes on 2 acre lots (24 acres) and my yard is the only one with water and feed for birds. Make sure you are the one percent that has water available for birds. In my surveys in multiple states, only one birdbath in 100 had water and properly placed, and this problem is compounded when most of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought and breaking heat records.
