Making a bird bath with a USB pump to attract birds | DIY

I made a bird bath using a USB pump to reticulate water. The sound of water and the water reflections helps to attract birds and provides a valuable water source to drink, bathe and cool down.
On this day in Sydney (9 Dec 2023) it reached 43 degrees and I could see birds experiencing heat stress. I ended up with 9 birds in my yard that sat in the shade all day near this bird bath to get relief from the extreme temperature! A dragonfly and several bees also stopped for a drink.
If you enjoyed this video or have had success with your own birdbath, please leave a comment below. I've been experimenting with DIY bird baths for a few years and would be happy to share more tips, tricks and experiments to keep birds, wildlife and insects hydrated!
BIRDS FEATURED:
- Noisy Miner x 1
- Australian Magpie x 2
WHY BIRDBATHS?
- they benefit birds, wildlife and insects!
- bathing helps birds stay clean
- clean drinking water sources are becoming more scarce and harder to locate
- aids digestion, birds often soften hard food sources in water
- they form social hubs that encourage future visits
TIPS ON MAKING YOUR OWN BIRD BATH
TIPS ON POTS AND SAUCERS
- if using plastic, look for a UV resistant rating as normal plastic will breakdown at a much faster rate
- test the fit of the saucer on top of the pot for a good fit with minimal movement
- the pot and saucer I've used here in Australia are from Northcote, available from Bunnings (not sponsored)
- the inner white container to catch water is a wash basin
- need to make holes? Try an electric drill, manual hand drill or soldering iron
SELECTING A PUMP
- a 5V submersible pump is quite common and versatile
- a USB pump provides the option to plug into battery packs, solar panels and mains power
- the larger the pump, the more likely it will be louder
SELECTING TUBES
- vinyl is more flexible and longer lasting than plastic which breaks down and can crack over time
- test fit a few sizes on the pump nozzle to check that it fits, I've used a 5mm vinyl tube in this video
- if you've bought the wrong diameter tube for the pump, you might be use a connector or different width tube to act as an adapter
- cutting different tube lengths allows for different creative uses
SELECTING STONES AND ROCKS
- select rocks that aren't brittle as the sediment may clog the pump over time
- river stones are hardy and won't break down
- if the rock is too large, it may limit how much the birds can submerge themselves for a bath
- rocks and pebbles can serve as a natural filtration system
- a variety of rocks provides endless options!
WATERFLOW ISSUES?
- the secret sauce in summary is i) a good pump capable of the flow output you're after ii) a good power source to generate the power needed by the motor iii) a good energy efficient design, such as cables that aren't too long
- Try running the pump in water without a tube connected to see if the powersource and motor work okay.
- Try a dfferent power source, solar is very volatile if not in direct sun, battery packs vary in their power output, mains power with a suitable power adaptor is best to test with
- if you're attempting to use solar or a USB battery pack, a few tweaks to your design can make the difference between water pumping and not running at all
- the length of the vinyl tube might be too long. The longer the tube, the more resistance there is for the water to travel through and the harder the motor needs to work, or be powered by
- the height between the water entering and exiting the tube might be more than the motor or power source is capable of
- the longer the length of the power cable, the more resistance it introduces and it may lead to a voltage drop off
MATERIAL COST GUIDE (AUSTRALIA)
- Pot $10
- Saucer $5-10
- Pump $15 - $30
- Vinyl tubing, 5m length for $10
- Approx. total $45 if you buy decent parts new, could be made for less than $10 also
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My short film, Currawong is now on RUclips! 'A short, observational documentary, capturing an intimate portrait of the daily lives of a pair of Pied Currawongs, that are challenged to raise a family through a difficult breeding season' | More @ currawongfilm.com

[@LauraGYoung]

109.4 degrees Fahrenheit? Ooof, that's brutal -- especially if there's any humidity. 🥵♨ Hope you're staying as hydrated as the birds...

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

Yes indeed! We are going through a heat wave at the moment, 104 Fahrenheit right now! Humidity is low luckily 16% at the moment. The birds are struggling! I have air con! 🤫

[@LauraGYoung]

@NatureFilmsByJohnKha -- Glad to hear it's a dry heat. Keep up with the beautiful videos! It's getting colder by the day here in Colorado, so it's nice to be reminded that it's warm somewhere else.... :)

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

@@LauraGYoung Thanks! I have plenty filmed and trying to squeeze in editing where I can and looking forward to sharing more videos. I have a little series of videos in mind on bird baths 🛁 We are 3 weeks into summer and the heat waves have come early. Looking forward to your winter videos, that would mark 3 seasons since I tuned in as you were getting the garden ready in the first video I checked out!

[@bubbyshobby2208]

Awww didn’t take long for the birds to have a dip I always wanted to do that. Thanks for sharing. Birds thank you for that 😍👍

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

They were quick! The Noisy Miners were cautious initially. The magpies looked like they had struck liquid gold! They hardly ever enter our yard 🙂

[@guillermocrespom.5550]

Muy interesante 👍👍

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

Gracias por ver el video!

[@skc5434]

What a fantastic job 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I’ve been enjoying your beautiful caring videos since the Currawong with the cloth hangers 😂❤

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

Thank for continuing to tune in!! MIA clothes hangers! Poor neighbours haha 😄

[@SusanW2004]

Love your bird bath!
If you have a soldering iron, you'll find creating holes in the saucer much easier.
Thank you for sharing your idea and your helpful hints too!

[@NatureFilmsByJohnKha]

Thanks Susan for the lovely comment! I'll add the soldering iron tip to the description! 🙂