PSA: Overhead mister vs bird bath during a heat wave

I was tired of scrubbing algae out of my bird bath every 3 days in this Texas heat. So I finally tried one of those cheap overhead misters from Amazon for $12 attached to a tree branch. Now I see twice as many goldfinches and chickadees hitting it at once compared to the old bath setup. The water evaporates way faster so I refill every morning, but zero algae so far. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed more birds showing up?

2 comments

2 Comments

henrys7412d ago

Misters really change the whole game for small birds. Goldfinches especially seem to prefer the fine droplets over standing water, probably mimics a light rain shower they'd naturally bathe in. And you're right about the algae situation, stagnant water is a breeding ground for it but moving mist never gives it a chance to take hold. The evaporation trade off is real though, I've had to triple check my setup every afternoon to keep it going through those 100 degree stretches. Those cheap Amazon units work fine but the plastic connectors can crack if you don't take them down before a freeze.

davis.gavin12d ago

Plastic connectors cracking in a freeze might actually help birds break ice in winter.