Today, water-crisis is one of the most alarming global issues limiting the everyday life of not only human beings but all living forms. Be it birds, aquatic animals, land animals, even insects – the life of these living beings are seriously jeopardized due to the paucity of water – both potable and non-potable.
Although Earth is majorly water, comprising 70 percent of the whole planet, only a handful of this amount is available to living beings in the form of fresh water. According to scientists, there are about 8.7 million species on Earth. There is little wonder that even this gigantic amount of water is not enough for all living creatures.
As one of the direct outcomes of this water scarcity, the ecosystem is getting severely affected. Apart from the myriad problems emanating from lack of fresh water – sustenance of animals and birds is a pertinent concern too. The nourishment and survival of most animals is at stake owing to lack of fresh, clean water. We are at a juncture that calls for serious scrutiny and effective mechanism for countering water crunch for animals.
When it comes to water shortage, one of the hardest seasons to go by is summers. In summers, the Sun can be extremely scorching and keeping up with everyday chores could be an exhausting experience. But this is not only true for human beings, but also for animals.
With the escalation of water scarcity in the city, the situation has become graver. The water level of many lakes and water bodies have declined, leading to extreme thirst amongst birds and animals.
However difficult it may seem, we can always do our bit and help a little bird in taking a dip in cool water and quenching thirst. Taking a fulfilling bath in this scalding weather is almost like the most satisfying experience, isn’t it? But do you know that not all birds and animals have the luxury to enjoy a freewheeling bath? Birds especially need cool, fresh water to get rid of parasites and dirt from their wings and maintain their body temperature. Neat wings are very crucial for them to maintain their livelihoods and pulling off necessary grooming (and you thought only human beings need grooming?). While they can always look for a quaint waterfall or pond to quench their thirst and have a cool dip, in summers it may not be as simple to locate a water body that has fresh, cool water.
In such circumstances, the overall picture of a bird’s life is not all that dandy. So what can we do to help these beautiful living beings that are a part of planet Earth’s fauna? Well, a lot. We can all create a bird bath right at the backyard of our home. You can always create a small bird bath which mimics a natural feed for birds.
Here are some interesting facts you need to know about proving water to birds for drinking and bathing purposes in summers.
- Use ceramic bowls for storing water in your backyards or gardens.
- Use only fresh, clean water as it has more potential to draw birds rather than muddy water.
- Birds need water for two major reasons: for drinking and cleaning their feathers – also known as preening. Preening helps them to wash off the debris and parasites in their wings.
- Since birds are more attracted towards moving water – you can induce some movement of water in the container where you store water for your birds.
- Standing water doesn’t attract birds as much.
- Keep the bird bath shallow but not too deep.
- Try to keep the surroundings peaceful, birds get frightened by a lot of noise.
- Put some sand at the bottom to give the bird some footing.
- Apart from drinking water, they can use water for taking bath. It helps them to keep cool in summers.
- Make sure to have two separate bowls; one for drinking and other for bathing. Maintain some hygiene.
Your little contributions can make a big difference in letting birds cope with the exhausting summer.
Freewheeling 