Backyard Habitat – Water for Wildlife

Good wildlife habitats offer not only water, but food and shelter. Add water features to a backyard habitat to attract various species of animals. Replenish water during summer months to keep it fresh, and maintain an ice-free source during winter. There are a variety of types to choose from, from very simple to rather complex.

Traditional Bird Bath

A pedestal bird bath can be purchased at any home and garden store. They are made of various materials, from concrete to metal. To increase the allure of the bath to wildlife, add dripping water. A drip attachment can be purchased and added to the edge of the bath, or a garden hose can be hung in overhanging branches and set to slowly drip into the birdbath. The birdbath should be brought inside during winter, or kept thawed with a heater or warming light bulb. Water can be a scarce commodity in winter, so providing a source in your backyard habitat will surely attract a variety of creatures.

To make an easy inexpensive bird bath, a Birds and Blooms reader suggested using a conical tomato cage and two plastic plant trays of varying sizes that will fit in the rings. Push the legs of the tomato cage into the ground to stabilize it, and settle one tray into the top ring and one into the bottom ring, notching out the rim of bottom tray to fit around the wire legs.

Tub Fountain

Obtain a container that holds approximately twenty-five gallons of water, such has a half a whiskey barrel, a plastic tub, or a piece of pottery, and line it with thick plastic sheeting (twenty-mil minimum) attached to the rim if the container is not waterproof. Choose a location that receives a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight each day. Set the container on a level surface, or bury it in the ground to the rim; fill with water. Add a filter and pump (combination can be obtained at home and garden stores for approximately $25) to keep container clean, circulate the water, and attract wildlife. Stack enough bricks or stones inside the tub to break the water’s surface in order to provide a perching place for wildlife that comes to drink from the fountain. Bring the tub inside during winter if temperatures drop below freezing, or invest in a heater to prevent water from freezing.

In-ground Pond

Dig a shallow pit at the base of a slope or in a low area to take advantage of natural drainage and line with thick plastic sheeting (twenty-mil minimum). Secure the plastic with large rocks around the pond’s edge. Add a pump and filter to prevent the water from becoming stagnant and to keep algae at bay, and fill the pond with water. Add plants to filter the water and help keep it clean, such as water hyacinth, arrowhead, yellow flag iris, or anacharis. Some plants can be floated directly in the water; others, such as some lilies, need to be planted in individual pots using heavy garden (not potting) soil and submerged in the pond.

Misters/Other Water Sources

Lots of wildlife may not drink from a dish of water, but will lap up droplets off of natural surfaces such as leaves or branches. Misters can be attached to a garden hose and angled into a corner of the yard providing shelter and perches to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Add a shallow pan of wet sand or gravel from which bees and butterflies can drink, as they cannot land in and drink from standing water like a bird bath.

For more ideas on providing water for wildlife, check out Creating a Backyard Wetland/Rain Garden.