Solar Bird Bath Fountains: How They Work and What to Look For

A solar bird bath fountain is a small pump powered by its own solar panel that sprays or bubbles water in a bird bath. Moving water draws a wider range of birds, according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Pick a battery backup model if the bath gets part shade, and still change the water every few days.

How a solar bird bath fountain works

The kit is simple: a small solar panel, a low-voltage pump and a fountain head that sends up a spray or a gentle bubble. Some are one floating disk with the panel on top, which sits on the water and drifts around the bowl. Others put the pump in the water and run a cord to a separate panel staked in the sun, so the bath itself can sit in shade.

There are two kinds of power, and the difference matters more than the shape:

Smart Solar, a maker of solar fountains, shows both kinds side by side. It says its 6-inch Aquanura LP birdbath insert operates in direct sunlight only, while its 9-inch Aquanura IntelliSOLAR insert has a lithium-ion backup battery that keeps the pump running in cloudy weather. Check each listing for which type you are getting, since the two can look alike.

What makes a bird bath birds will use

A fountain only helps if the bath suits birds in the first place. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation gives these pointers for a backyard bird bath:

• Shallow water. A depth of 1 to 2 inches is best, sloping up gradually to a dry edge. The department notes that birds may avoid some store-bought baths because the sides are too steep.
• A rough bottom. Rough cement or a similar surface gives birds safe footing.
• Height and cover. Mount the bath about 3 feet off the ground, in shade, roughly 10 feet from shrubs or other protective cover.
• Moving water. The department recommends a source of moving water to attract the greatest variety of birds, from a drip or a hose nozzle to a pump.

Shade and sun pull in different directions here. The bath does well in shade, but a solar panel needs sun. A pump with a panel on a long cord lets you keep both: the bowl in the shade and the panel a few feet away in the open.

Mosquitoes and keeping the water clean

A moving surface is not a substitute for fresh water. The CDC lists bird baths among the items to empty and scrub, turn over or cover once a week, because mosquitoes lay their eggs near water. The State of Illinois’s Keep Cool Illinois guidance is stricter: change bird bath water every 3 to 4 days and clean the bath with detergent every two weeks, since eggs can develop in any standing water that lasts more than four days.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation goes further for the birds’ sake. It suggests cleaning the bath daily with a plastic scouring pad, because algae, droppings and debris build up quickly, and an occasional wash with nine parts water to one part bleach.

Choosing the right size

Match the fountain to the bowl. Smart Solar, for example, sells its Aquanura insert in a 6-inch LP size and a 9-inch size for different bowls. A strong jet in a small, shallow bath can throw water out of the bowl and leave the pump short of water.

A few checks before you buy:

1. Measure the bowl’s inside width and compare it with the fountain’s diameter.
2. Look for several nozzle heads, so you can swap a tall jet for a low bubble in a small bath.
3. Check the panel cord length if the bath is in shade.
4. For battery models, look for how many hours the maker says the battery runs without sun.

Winter and storage

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation says water in winter can be more critical for birds than at other times of year, because a bird bath may be the only unfrozen water nearby. A small solar pump is a different story: check the maker’s manual for winter storage, bring the pump and panel indoors before a hard frost if it says to, and keep the bath going with plain water when the weather allows.

For more solar ideas for the yard, see our pool and water section, including solar pool covers and solar water pumps for wells and stock tanks, or browse small solar panels.