Why You Should Consider Adding Rocks To Your Birdbath

An easy addition to a backyard’s aesthetic, birdbaths are a simple water feature that many homes have in their yard. Yet, these pieces are more than just ornamental — they’re functional and important for wild birds. More than that, they’re made better with the inclusion of rocks to aid our feathered friends.

According to ornithologist Joe Smith’s piece for The Nature Conservancy, birds take baths for myriad reasons. He noted, however, that science has been a bit inconclusive about bathing habits. Though a nice soak may help a bird’s feathers stay in good shape for longer, they could also help birds stay alive. A study in Animal Behavior on starlings demonstrates that bathed birds may have higher survival skills than unbathed ones.

The researchers had bathed and unbathed starlings participate in a string-based obstacle course. They noted that birds who had bathed recently hit fewer strings in the obstacle course than their unbathed peers. These scientists hypothesized that unbathed birds were less agile than the bathed ones. But, in order to benefit from the potential positive effects of bathing, these vertebrates need to be able to safely do so in shallow water. That’s when the added rocks come in handy, giving them a safe place to perch.