Helping Birds During Freezing Temperatures: Water
Food is critical during extreme cold but water is just as important.
As temperatures drop below freezing, birds struggle to find fresh, unfrozen water. Birds need water not only for drinking, but also for keeping their feathers clean and healthy.
Clean feathers = healthy feathers
Healthy feathers = warm birds
When feathers are clean and properly aligned, birds can fluff them up and create up to a 70-degree buffer between their skin and the outside air. That insulating layer is essential for survival during freezing weather.
1. Keep Water Available When It’s Safe to Do So
When conditions allow, pour warm (not boiling) water into your birdbath to melt ice and freshen the water.
Birds often show more activity at birdbaths during cold snaps than they do in the heat of summer. Keep an eye out for flocks of bluebirds, cedar waxwings, and robins! They're known to flock to the fresh water in the col.
2. Use the Right Type of Birdbath
Not all birdbaths handle freezing temperatures the same way.
- Glass birdbaths should be brought inside during freezes
- Glass can crack when temperatures drop below freezing.
This is why we recommend having alternative birdbaths around your yard that are designed for cold weather use. Plastic, concrete, quality stone, and metal baths are all great options.
3. Offer Multiple Birdbaths at Different Heights
Providing more than one birdbath helps reduce crowding and supports different species.
Place birdbaths:
- At different heights
- In different areas of the yard
- Of varying depths and textures
This allows:
- Larger birds to bathe comfortably in one bath
- Smaller birds to bathe safely in another
- Birds that bathe in flocks to use larger baths
- Birds that prefer bathing alone to choose quieter spots
4. Keep Birdbaths Shallow & Clean
- Birdbaths should be no more than 2–3 inches deep. Deeper ones will only accommodate larger birds. Birds cannot swim. They simply drink and will want to flutter to bathe.
- Keeping birdbaths clean is especially important during winter
- Removing ice and restoring liquid water as soon as it’s safe can make a big difference for birds during extreme cold