When you have a bird bath, it’s second only to a great bird feeder for bird watching. However, the bird bath is arguably more fun to watch as the birds give themselves a bath. The way they flutter around in the water and seemingly enjoying themselves can be quite amusing. Some birds like to just jump around and enjoy themselves, while others will nearly submerge themselves. But what do you do in winter? What do you do when the bird bath starts to freeze over? Do you just give up on your bird bath? No! You need a bird bath de icer!
How Does Bird Bath De Icer Work?
A bird bath deicer will keep your birds bathing all winter long. Much like stock tank heaters which keep pasture animals able to drink water all winter, bird bath deicers are electric powered heater coils which sit in the water and keep an ice layer from freezing. There are a few different options to consider, but they all work very much the same. There is resistance electric producing heat, and that’s about it. Some have an on/off only capability while those we recommend have a built in thermostat.
One big aspect of heating your bird bath you’ll need to keep in mind is that you’ll be increasing the evaporation rate of the bird bath. If the bird bath were to ice over, there would be little to no evaporation taking place, and the bird bath would stay full all winter. When you have a bird bath de icer installed, you need to keep an eye on the water level so you don’t have an empty bird bath! Imagine you are a dirty bird and you’re heading back to your favorite bird bath only to find it empty!
How Far Should Bird Bath Be From Bird Feeder?
Next, there’s proximity to a bird feeder. It’s a good idea to have a bird feeder within 50’ of the bird bath. Some people will disagree with this, but we’ve found that when you have both within a reasonable distance of one another, you will draw in more birds. Some birds spot the open water and want to use the bird bath, then in the process will notice the seeds. Others will be on the bird feeder and realize they could use a drink or a bath and head over to the bird bath. In our experience, combining these features make a great symbiotic relationship. Especially for those of us who can’t get enough of bird watching.
Best Bird Bath De Icer Products Of 2023
Fortunately, there are many good options for bird bath de icer. We’ll include a review of the 3 best products we’ve tried out. Each one caters to a different size or color of bird bath a little better than the others.
#1 Best Bird Bath Deicer: Gesail Birdbath Deicer
Our favorite is the Gesail Birdbath Deicer. First, at a modest 50 watts, this birdbath deicer will not run up your electric bill. Additionally, it will automatically come on to prevent ice buildup and shut off the heat source when the water begins to heat up.
- FUNCTION: 50W, 120V bird bath de-icer with thermostat. This birdbath heater will keep the standard birdbath from freezing in winter, thermostatically…
- DESIGN: Designed for standard size birdbaths, this outdoor bird bath de-icer can be used in different kinds of birdbaths, such as metal, plastic,…
- MATERIAL: The bird heater is made of heavy duty cast aluminum, easy to clean and will not calcify, rust or leave stains in the bird bath bowl. The…
The last thing you want is hot water scalding a bird! This will never do that, rest assured. There are other bird bath de icers which are more expensive and some which are less expensive, but the simplicity of the Gesail Birdbath Deicer is hard to beat.
#2 Best Bird Bath Deicer: YaNovate Bird Bath Heater
One of the competitors to the Gesail is the YaNovate Bird Bath Heater. This heater works in much the same way as the Gesail with slightly more power at 70 watts. However, if you have a white bird bath, this might be the better choice for you.
- 【2022 70W Thermostatically Controlled Birdbath Water Heated】AC 120V 70W the outdoor bird bath de-icer thermostatically controlled keep the…
- 【Heavy Duty Material & Automatic Start-stop Design】Bird bath heater aluminum base surface and full coverage aluminum liners, with highly heat…
- 【Waterproof Design & Safe for Bird】Built-in full-coverage partition layer and high-density aluminum shell double protection can better protect the…
If you have a gray or dark colored bird bath, the Gesail is probably a better fit. In our opinion, making sure the bird bath de icer blends into the background in your backyard is an important design consideration. You don’t want to focus on the bird bath heater when looking into your backyard!
#3 Best Bird Bath Deicer: Farm Innovators C 50
If you have an exceptionally large bird bath, you may want to consider the Farm Innovators C 50. This is a 150 watt fountain heater, which can be used on small fountains or large bird baths.
- ELECTRIC BIRDBATH DE-ICER: Electric birdbath warmer keeps water from freezing for happy, healthy birds all winter long; (L x W x H): 8.2 x 5 x 1.25…
- 150-WATT POWER: 150-watt power reliably heats fountains, so birds, squirrels, and other small creatures stay toasty
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Heavy-duty cast aluminum construction withstands tough weather conditions for ultimate efficiency and safety; Weight: 1.42…
For most instances the Gesail or YaNovate will work best, but if you have a huge bird bath, the Farm Innovators may be right for you. It has a bit more of an industrial look (kind of like a metal donut), but it’s a workhorse with years of proven reliability.
Bird Bath De Icer Summary
In conclusion, a bird bath de icer is a great addition to your backyard. Making sure your winter bird watching doesn’t get impacted by those pesky cold days is important to everyone. A bird bath de icer will keep you bird watching friends and family happy, and the birds happier.