ADD A MEANS OF ESCAPE TO ANY BACKYARD WATER SOURCE

Many of us desiring to attract wildlife provide the 3 main supplements required:  food, water, and native cover.  A bird bath is a popular way to provide water, as are backyard ponds or small rural ponds on the farm.  In dry western states, some landowners put out rainwater catchment devices that sit low in the ground called water guzzlers. Taller water tanks, though, mainly serve livestock and deer.  Birds obviously need water for drinking and bathing, so they are attracted to all of these manmade water sources.  Sometimes birds, including owls, and other critters such as frogs, lizards, and small mammals accidentally fall in, which is fine if they can swim to the edge and crawl out.  But what if the edge is slippery or too high where they can’t reach it? 

These scenarios end up being deadly traps when birds tire of struggling and quickly drown.  If you have such a water source, help the birds and other wildlife by adding a make-shift escape ladder.  This is as simple as placing a sturdy tree limb in the water to give animals a way to crawl to dry land.  Replace the limb when it degrades or rots.  Some backyard swimming pools are notorious for drowning animals.  I certainly would not advocate for placing a limb in your pool but consider creating some other type of escape ladder for wildlife.  Keeping critters from drowning also will keep you from having to remove a nasty, decaying carcass that can foul up your water.  Check out other ideas here: https://www.thriftyfun.com/Keeping-Ponds-Safe-for-Fish-and-Wildlife-1.html

Providing drinking water for birds is a great idea but ensure that it’s safe.  Do it for the owls. Order your Owl Shack HERE.