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Build Your Own Dripper

Photo by Dale Ohl

Water is necessary to life--human as well as avian. Having a water source in your yard not only provides this essential to the birds, but also gives us an opportunity to attract more birds. And if the water is dripping, it attracts birds more frequently.

I wanted to add a dripping water system to a remote part of my yard. Running a line or hose to that area was not an option. I found in the camping section of a store, a seven-gallon water jug used for camping that is vented and has an adjustable spigot. We mounted a flat board on top of a tall tree stump and placed the filled container on it. It drips into a large saucer on the ground.

Almost immediately, the birds who won't use a pedestal bath came to the ground-level bath as soon as they heard the drip. (A saucer of water had been there for a couple of months with little use, even though it was cleaned regularly and had fresh water daily.) The chickadees tried landing on the wood platform to drink directly from the spigot. My nonbirding husband saw that and very quickly drove a nail into the platform to make a perch for the chickadees, who took to it immediately.

We plan on building an attractive cedar structure to house our water tower, although the birds don't seem to mind the blue plastic. This size of container will provide water for almost a week, but the spigot will need adjustment as the water level lowers. I would think different sizes of containers could be found if so desired. (The seven-gallon size is too heavy for me to carry when full.) Because it lies on its side, a hole could probably be put in the top to facilitate filling it with a garden hose. The hole could then be plugged with a cork, eliminating the need to carry the heavy container.