SCOTT SHALAWAY Winter water will work wonders for birds

Water sustains all life. Without it, plants could not convert sunlight into sugars, animals could not function and humans could not live. Water makes up 70 percent to 90 percent of all living cells. So it should come as no surprise that birds drink water whenever it is available -- even during winter.
Backyard birdwatchers satisfy this need by maintaining bird baths throughout the warmer months. Providing water is like providing food -- birds can survive without it, but if it's there, they use it. It's too convenient to ignore. Winter water attracts late migrants, bluebirds, robins, and even nocturnal screech-owls as well as the usual assortment of finches, cardinals, woodpeckers, and chickadees. In many cases, winter water proves as popular as food.
And despite the term, "bird bath," winter water is for drinking. Birds stay on the edge of the saucer and usually don't even get their feet wet.
This fall has already been surprisingly cold. I've had single digit temperatures on the back porch several times already this month, and winter hasn't yet arrived. So the key to providing winter water is to keep it from freezing.
Protect from elements
To provide winter water in the back yard, a freeze-proof saucer is the first requirement. Concrete and ceramic baths crack when the water they hold freezes, so put these baths away for the winter. A plastic bird bath specially designed to withstand freezing temperatures works best. Plastic baths also have textured surfaces that provide much better footing than metal or ceramic surfaces.
No matter what type of container or bath you decide on, a submersible, thermostatically controlled water heater is essential in frigid conditions. Submersible bird bath heaters are variations on livestock water heaters that have been around for years. They can keep at least a small pool of water from freezing even during sub-zero temperatures. And built-in safety features ensure that if the bath runs dry or the weather warms up, the heater shuts off.
All winter water devices require some routine maintenance. Daily cleanliness is a must. Simply rinse the bowl each day before refilling it, and scrub it every few days with detergent and bleach. Dirty water promotes bacterial growth.
The heating element also requires regular cleaning. If it gets encrusted with mineral deposits, it won't operate efficiently. A vinegar solution removes these deposits.
Finally, place baths away from feeders. Seeds, hulls, and droppings foul water quickly. Save yourself a lot of cleaning time by keeping baths away from feeders.
On the other hand, bird bath heaters aren't cheap; expect to pay at least $50 for a quality heater. Consequently, some birders wonder if heaters are really beneficial or just a gimmick to sell more bird baths.
It's true birds survived freezing winters quite well for millennia before anyone ever thought of providing winter water. Birds adapted to sub-freezing winters can extract water metabolically from the foods they eat, even from seemingly dry seeds.
Why, then, would anyone bother with winter bird baths? Quite simply, because they are bird magnets. And that's the whole idea behind backyard birding - attract birds so they're easy to watch.
Winter bird baths make life a whole lot easier for birds, especially in northern climates. When streams, ponds and puddles freeze, heated bird baths assure a reliable (and often the only) water supply. While apparently not physiologically necessary, birds prefer to drink when possible. Perhaps drinking free water is energetically cheaper than extracting it metabolically from dry food.
A cheaper alternative
Finally, if a heated bird bath sounds like too much bother and expense, there is an alternative. Just put out a dish of warm water every morning. Birds quickly learn to arrive before the water freezes.
Birds that find their food and water in one spot will naturally spend more time there. So regardless of the season, bird baths make back yards more appealing to many birds. Providing winter water is just one more way to make your feeding station more attractive to a greater variety of birds.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com