Skip Traditional Bird Baths: Amazon's Affordable Solution Keeps Birds Hydrated When They Need It Most

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Although many birds make like your Aunt Carol and decamp for some sunnier clime like Florida to escape the winter every year, plenty of others stay and stick it out through the snow. Backyard birders often dutifully keep feeders filled during the leaner months, but may forget another much-needed resource for flying friends in winter: water. Bitter temperatures can make finding unfrozen water a challenge for birds – yes, they can source water in the form of snow or ice, but melting it can rob them of precious energy and body heat. A heated bird bath like this $40 option from Jvgoo on Amazon, offers a relatively affordable solution to keep birds happy and hydrated in winter.

This heated bath comes in five colors and features a seasonally appropriate snowflake pattern embossed in the bottom of the plastic vessel, which has a diameter of 13.4 inches. It stands on adjustable and removable feet. The enclosed heating element that keeps the bird bath from freezing in winter needs to be plugged into a power outlet. Though the 5-foot power cord is an upgraded, longer length, you'll probably still need to connect it to an extension cord, as some buyers report doing in the reviews. You don't have to worry about accidentally boiling your backyard birds: The bird bath's integrated thermostat turns the heater on when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and off again at 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

A heated bird bath keeps birds warm, but not in the way you may be thinking — marinating in a birdie hot tub for the whole winter probably isn't a sustainable survival solution. Rather, staying well hydrated supports the high energy needs of "shivering thermogenesis," a method of generating body heat through very fast shivering. If birds do take a dip, this is for the purpose of maintaining their plumage, keeping their feathers in good condition so they can fluff them up and keep warm air trapped against their bodies. 

Speaking of birds bathing, if you live in a very cold zone, you might want to take steps to prevent this in the heated bath. The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) advises against giving birds a source of water to bath in during winter, because if temperatures are very low, the birds may end up freezing upon exit. With its 1.8-inch-deep basin, the Jvgoo bird bath falls within the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's recommendation that bird baths offer water no deeper than 2 inches – but to be sure birds aren't tempted to take a bath they'll regret, you could opt to partially cover the dish. You can also try adding sticks and stones to the bath that birds can perch on. That last tip may mitigate a potential downside of the Jvgoo bird bath and its lightweight construction: Some reviewers, worried that it might blow over in heavy winds, say they added rocks for weight or tied it down, just in case. Keen for more ways to keep birds in winter? Check out this smart tip on how to prevent hummingbird nectar from getting cold.