My neighbor insisted heated birdbaths are bad for feathers but I read they help in freezing temps

She said the warmth makes birds preen wrong and lose waterproofing but every source I find says minus 20 is way worse for them who do I listen to here?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph4559d ago

Read a piece from a bird rescue group that actually said heated birdbaths are fine as long as they aren't too hot. The key is keeping the water just above freezing, like 40-45 degrees. Too hot will mess with their preening oils but a gentle warmth is safe. Your neighbor probably heard about those super hot metal birdbaths from years ago that people used to use. The modern ones are way different and much safer. If you want to be extra careful just check the temp with your finger before filling it, if it feels warm not hot you're good.

xena_jackson9d ago

Wait, so we've gone from "heated birdbaths will fry your birds" to "just make sure it's warm bathwater not hot tub water"? Feels like we're overcomplicating the whole keeping water from freezing thing.