We all know the benefits of getting in touch with nature, and the great thing about having an outside space is that we don't have to go too far to enjoy it. Offering fresh water is a great way to encourage wildlife while keeping our feathered friends' thirst quenched and helping to loosen dirt and dampen their feathers prior to preening.
To help you find the bath that both fits your garden's style and successfully attracts birds, we've written this buying guide packed with tips and suggestions on everything from material to modern extras like solar lights. Whether you're after a heavy ceramic bath or a unique hanging design for a small space, you're sure to find a match among our list of the best bird baths on Amazon and John Lewis.
Quick List - Top Bird Baths
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Most freestanding bird baths either have a built-in stand with a flat bottom, which keeps it nice and balanced, or a metal pole with a staked end. If going for the latter option, you'll need a lawn to drive the stake into, but otherwise, freestanding baths can be used in any garden whether you have grass or not!
Those with traditional tastes will love the classic stone pedestal options, but there's a version out there to suit everyone. However, those with small gardens should bear in mind that freestanding bird baths can be rather large. So, unless you don't mind it taking up a fair bit of space, it may be best to opt for something on the smaller side.
To attract more bird friends to your garden and make them stay, get a bird feeding station!
Ground-level bird baths are simple to explain – their support is the ground! They're often placed on the lawn but they can also be positioned on a patio, a wall, or anywhere with sufficient surface area to keep them steady.
As such, the primary advantage of ground-level bird baths is their versatility – the local hedgehogs will be grateful you provided them with drinking access, too! In addition, they're usually cheaper, as you're paying only for the bath itself, not for any additional support mechanism.
The main disadvantage, some might say, is that stand-less bird baths do not offer the same safety as those with elevation. However, to counter this, you can ensure that there are plenty of overhanging trees nearby for the birds to make a speedy exit.
Hanging baths are supported not from below but from above, usually strung from a solid surface such as a tree branch or a piece of garden furniture. They're a brilliant choice for smaller gardens with less available floor space to contend with and make for a charming garden ornament to boot!
Smaller birds will particularly appreciate this option, as the dishes are typically shallow and hold less water than their larger counterparts. You'll also be providing the birds with a far safer place to bathe, being elevated far off the ground and therefore out of the reach of any predators.
As drinking water should be replaced daily, those with limited mobility, or perhaps even time, might find these a little bit too much effort to continually remove, maintain, and re-hang, so bear this in mind when making your choice.
If you've been having problems with squirrels eating all your bird feed, a squirrel-proof bird feeder might help.
Bracket bird baths are designed to be attached to another surface. There are several varieties, but most commonly, they are either wall brackets fixed to your house exterior or another vertical surface, or brackets offering support via a clamp system such as a pole or railing.
The primary advantage of bracket bird baths is their convenience. If you're a city dweller without a garden, you likely have limited options for encouraging wildlife to your doorstep. But don't despair, as this is where bracket designs come into their own!
Whether you have nothing but a balcony or even just the wall outside of your apartment window, you'll still have the option to provide city birds with a well-earned and often hard-to-find source of fresh water.
Over time, dirt such as droppings, feathers and algae may appear in your bird bath. If you want to keep bacteria at bay, you'll need to ensure that you keep it spick and span. As well as replacing the water daily, this means regular cleaning.
How easy your bird bath is to clean will depend on the material it's made from. While smoother materials such as glass or metal can usually be returned to their former glory with just a wipe and some cleaning agents, rougher materials such as stone may require a little more elbow grease, particularly as they're prone to algae growth.
A stone design may look the part, but make sure you ask yourself before buying whether you're willing to put in the extra work with a scrubbing brush to ensure the local birdlife can enjoy a bath that is clean and safe. If not, you'll find it more convenient to opt for one made from a smoother material.
The primary purpose of a bird bath is to provide the local birds with a convenient place to bathe, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider a product that also appeals visually. Just as with furniture in your home, one of the best ways of ensuring that a bird bath looks great in your garden is to find one that complements it effectively.
If you have a classic English country garden, you might like to go for a traditional stone pedestal bath, or maybe crisp, clean ceramic or glass better suits your modern-looking outdoor area. You might want even to match the colour of your bird bath with the surrounding flowers – a blue bath to accentuate your beloved blue hydrangeas, perhaps?
For serious bird watchers, browse our best birdwatching binoculars to get a good view of your bird friends without startling them.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kingfisher Ornamental Resin Bird Bath | ![]() | A Fabulous Bronze-Effect Bath That's Perfectly Practical | |
2 | Discount Garden Statues Stone Cast Art Deco Garden Bird Bath | ![]() | Handmade in the UK From Sturdy Stone | |
3 | Wildlife World Nature Oasis Bird Bath | ![]() | A Sustainable Option With a Pleasing Geometric Design | |
4 | Fallen Fruits Bird Bath With Wall Bracket | ![]() | Delightfully Decorative Cast Iron at a Great Price Point | |
5 | Parkland 3-in-1 Bird Bath & Feeder With Solar Light and Planter | ![]() | The Spa-Experience Bird Hotel That Has It All | |
6 | GEEZY Cast Iron Hanging Bird Bath | ![]() | A Hanging Bird Bath That's Built to Last | |
7 | Fallen Fruits Floral Esschert Design Bird Bath | ![]() | Visually Attractive and Functional Ornate Ceramic Bowl | |
8 | Eva Solo Ceramic Hanging Bird Bath | ![]() | The Perfect Minimalist Bath for Modern Gardens | |
9 | MUMTOP Free-Standing Glass Bird Bath with Metal Stake | ![]() | A Stunning Glass Piece With Eye-Catching Flower Pattern | |
10 | CRÓGA Deck Mounted Bird Bath | ![]() | A Fantastic Way to Introduce Some Birdlife to Your Urban Home |
If practicality is what you're after, look no further than this fabulous bird bath from Kingfisher. Available in this striking blue or a darker green, it's been cast to resemble bronze but is actually made from resin. This means that it'll be effortless to clean, saving you time and energy.
Weather won't be an issue either, as this bird bath is fully weather-resistant and tough enough to endure being knocked over without breakage. With a fantastic price point to top it all off, we think it's the best option out there right now and well worth tweeting about!
If you appreciate objects made with good old fashioned craftsmanship, you'll love this bird bath, which is professionally handmade in the UK and fully cast from reconstituted stone – that means it's not hollow but completely solid, so make sure you've got someone to help you put it in place!
In addition to its solid construction, this bird bath also features a beautiful art deco design that really sets it apart. It's significantly more expensive than the other products on this list, but this is the real deal, and you won't find better quality.
The first thing you'll notice about this visually appealing bird bath is its circular, geometric design. Somewhat resembling the symmetry of ancient architecture, we can't help but feel a little mesmerised when looking at it!
This design is also beneficial to the local birdlife, giving them a comfortable place to perch whether the water supply is low or there's been a heavy downpour! To top it all off, despite looking like marble, this bath is actually made from sustainable materials – 100% recycled plastic and natural bamboo fibres – so you can feel truly pleased with your purchase.
Don't have a suitable tree for a hanging bird bath and don't want a freestanding design taking up space in your garden? Then this wall-bracketed option may just be the ideal solution. It's incredibly simple to fit – all you need to do is fasten it to the wall of your house.
Better still, the traditional cast iron design means you won't need to fear this bird bath making your wall a bit of an eyesore. Plus, because it's fastened to the side of your house, you'll only need to look out your window to get a close-up view of the local birdlife taking a dip!
The purpose of a bird bath is to ensure that the local birdlife has a place to bathe, but it certainly doesn't hurt if it can benefit you too. This 3-tiered product does exactly that, also coming with a planter and a solar-powered light for summer evenings.
On the practical side, it's also weather-resistant, and the hollow stand can actually be filled with sand or water to keep it nice and sturdy. What we really can't get over, though, is how versatile it is – for the birds, it's a lovely place to bathe; for you, it's an attractive and highly useful piece of garden furniture!
Hanging bird baths are great because, generally speaking, they take up far less space in your garden than freestanding designs. This one, for example, provides plenty of water without requiring any stakes or stands.
This charming bath is made from cast iron, ensuring that it is durable enough to stand the test of time as well as giving it a rustic appearance. It is another one that features a cute friend perched along the edge, which helps encourage birds to take a dip.
Too often, bird baths can be a little plain and uninspiring, but this beautiful offering from Wildlife World stands out from the crowd and will blend in your garden perfectly as the frost-resistant glazed terracotta has a delicate green colour.
The ripple step design not only adds some texture to the visual appeal of this bird bath, but it also provides additional grip for birds to perch on. You will get three mounting feet to elevate it slightly above the ground, preventing any frost damage. If you'd rather it be placed atop a stand, you can also purchase a matching one from the store.
This bird bath is made by century-old Danish designers Eva Solo. It's a beautifully modern piece with a crisp, clean look, and because it's made from ceramic, dirt will glide easily from its surface.
Your local feathered friends will appreciate it too as, hanging underneath a tree branch, this bird bath offers a safe spot to freshen up, rather than requiring them to bathe in the open where they may feel vulnerable. It's fairly pricey considering its simplicity, but it is very well made and would make a lovely gift.
If you're looking for a bird bath with a little bit personality to it, your search is over! This vivid, bright-green flower pattern bath would camouflage beautifully with the green of the surrounding garden, and it's perfectly shaped to offer the correct bathing depth.
Unfortunately, most glass bird baths, including this one, are not weatherproof, meaning in the colder months, you'll either need to remove it from your garden or swap it out for a frost-friendly option. However, for something this beautiful, we think it's worth the extra effort!
If you live in an urban environment, perhaps in a flat without a garden, you've probably ruled out any chance of enjoying the local birdlife. Luckily, there's a way to encourage it to your home – with a bird bath that can clip to your balcony or railing.
This silicone one is a pretty basic option that's priced accordingly, with a faux terracotta appearance that will blend into its surroundings easily. It comes with a brush and microfibre cloth for easy cleaning and it's rustproof and weather-resistant too, so you can continue to enjoy watching the birds for years to come.
Professional bird watchers from The National Audubon Society recommend cleaning your bird bath with a distilled white vinegar solution that you can easily make at home. Simply mix 9:1 ratio of water to distilled white vinegar. This solution will cause no harm to birds or other species.
You will often find mosquitoes in bird baths because it is a great source of still water which they require to lay eggs. To prevent this from happening, install a small water feature to agitate the water to deter them from doing so. As a bonus, the sound of splashing water will attract more birds.
If your tap water is safe to drink for humans, then it should be safe for birds too.
No. 1: Kingfisher|Ornamental Resin Bird Bath
No. 2: Discount Garden Statues|Stone Cast Art Deco Garden Bird Bath
No. 3: Wildlife World|Nature Oasis Bird Bath
No. 4: Fallen Fruits|Bird Bath With Wall Bracket
No. 5: Parkland|3-in-1 Bird Bath & Feeder With Solar Light and Planter
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