Water is always important! So, what’s changed to make it more important than ever?
Well, if the past few years are any guide, there appears to be many more circumstances occurring in nature that are making water…especially fresh, clean water…harder to come by for birds and other wildlife.
Depending on the geographic location, birds have had to deal with extreme heat events, extensive wildfires, widespread areas of severe drought, and development. Needless to say, under these life-threatening circumstances, water is more important than ever for birds.
Even under normal circumstances, birds need water.
Water is vitally important during the high temperatures of a routine summer, when a bird’s ability to regulate its own body temperature can become stressed. Birds do not sweat and must remove excess body heat through their respiratory system. When temperatures rise, their respiration rate increases, sometimes to a point that birds seem to pant like a dog. This leads to an increased rate of dehydration and the need for a quick and reliable source of water to replace the lost fluids.
Equally important, bathing in water helps birds to keep their feathers in top-flight condition. Their lives depend on it. They need to be ready to fly at all times and bathing is critical to feather maintenance.
You can offer water to birds in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as a bird bath or as elaborate as an artificial pool with rocks, plants and flowing water. There are misters and drippers that will add even more action and variety.
Whatever you choose, you are sure to broaden the roster of new birds visiting your yard, add hours of enjoyable bird watching entertainment…all while providing a fun and essential necessity of life for your birds.
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