The National Wildlife Federation developed the Backyard Habitat program to educate about habitat loss, and provide guidance on what we can do to help create small wildlife sanctuaries in our own backyards, schools or workplaces. The major components of a Habitat are Food, Water and Shelter.

Water is an often overlooked necessity. Clean water is hard to find. Providing water in a bird-friendly environment brings a wider variety of birds than just adding a feeder. Many birds like the robin or scarlet tanager don’t come to feeders - tanagers feed on insects. They will, however, visit a birdbath.

Moving water is a great way to attract lots of birds. People often add a dripper or a small pump to their birdbaths. We’ve found these to be more headache than help, and we offer a better option – the Water Wiggler. Pumps get clogged or run dry and burn out. Drippers are temperamental, and often fail. The Water Wiggler creates movement in the water, runs up to 2 months, with no wires.

Place your birdbath in the shade, near trees or shrubs if possible (but not so close that cats could pounce). The shade keeps the water from evaporating quickly and keeps it fresher. Birds wet from bathing don't fly well, so they're more vulnerable to predators. Shrubbery nearby gives them a safe place to hide while they preen and dry off.

TIP: Water is critical in the winter months. Refill your birdbath regularly, or use either a birdbath heater or a heated birdbath to keep the water from freezing.