Bird baths matter in winter too, the science explains why

Stop putting away the bird bath in winter

Did you know it’s still super important to put water out for birds during winter, not just in summer? Bird baths are an important welfare measure year-round, not just for cooling down and drinking on hot days.

Bathing is critical for birds’ feather health and longevity, as well as their agility and coordination in flight. One study restricting bath access in captive European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) found that birds denied bathing water collided with more objects and flew faster during escape flight, with the authors suggesting that not bathing increased anxiety due to a heightened sense of vulnerability to predation (Brilot et al, 2009).

Another study found that birds denied bathing had poorer feather condition, compromised escape ability, and increased responsiveness to predation cues (Brilot & Bateson, 2009).

Given that backyard birds already face the threat of roaming cats, a good bath could genuinely be a matter of survival- another reason to keep cats indoors, where they’re safer too.

Research also shows people refill bird baths more frequently in summer than winter (Cleary et al 2016), so it’s worth spreading the word to friends and family to keep the water up year-round. As always, good hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of avian disease. More bird bath tips can be found here on our website.

Besides pushing for habitat protection, providing water in your garden is probably the single most important thing you can do for birds, and that includes during winter.