A Water Feature - For the Birds?

Like humans, birds enjoy taking a daily bath.  Bathing cleans their feathers and helps remove parasites.  After bathing the bird looks for a sunny perch, to fluff its feathers.  Finally, the bird preens carefully.  Birds have an oil gland at the base of their tail which is used during preening to add a protective coating to the feathers. 

Screenshot from a short video

Malaysia’s climate is equatorial, that is to say  hot, humid and rainy throughout the year with particularly heavy rainfall during the northeast and southwest monsoons.  In the rainforest there will be small puddles, streams, and pools below waterfalls.  However, in the city there can be a shortage of fresh, clean water.  Hence, a water feature in your garden will prove attractive to most birds.  What makes a good bird bath?  Experts say a good bird bath should mimic  a natural puddle.  It should not be too deep and, like our own swimming pools, there should be a shallow end.  Some sand or small stones can be used for this purpose.  Next, ensure your bird bath is easy to clean.   You will need to drain and refresh the water daily to prevent the growth of mosquito larva.  (If you are going to be away  for a few days cover or remove the bath.)  Check that green algae is not growing in your bird bath.  If it is, you will need to give the bird bath a scrub.  Otherwise, the algae could make some birds sick.  Given the choice, most birds prefer baths at ground level; after all that is where nature provides the puddles!  However, I believe a raised bird bath, about a metre off the ground, is better.  Firstly, it makes it easier for you to watch the birds.  Secondly, and more importantly, a raised bath reduces the risk that your garden birds will be ambushed by a cat. 

If you want to provide some luxuries, many birds enjoy dripping water- a small pump and a filter could be worthwhile additions to your bird bath.  Nevertheless, as seen in the video below, even a simple flower pot base will provide hours of enjoyment.

The bird in the video is a young magpie robin, known in Malay as murai kampung. This bird is one of a family of five that enjoys a daily bath in my back yard. 

 Video link:  https://youtu.be/llguQIaCP9c