Water: More Important Than Ever!

By Lucy Polak, Owner of Birds Unlimited

Water has always been important! So, what’s changed to make it more important now than ever before?

The world has entered into a time of global water bankruptcy. It appears now more than ever that the circumstances occurring in nature 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/or development. Needless to say, under these life-threatening circumstances, water is more important than ever for birds.

Even under normal circumstances, birds need water to survive.

Water is a vital resource 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.

Birds' lives depend on bathing in water as well, as birds use this water to keep their feathers in top-flight condition. 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.

Whichever artificial water source you choose, you are sure to broaden the roster of new backyard birds and enjoy hours of bird watching entertainment, all while providing a fun and essential resource for your birds!