Attract more birds to your bird bath with a homemade “dripper” made from recycled milk jug.

What You Need

• Bird bath or plastic tray on a raised platform
• Funnel
• Hammer
• Nail
• Pin or sewing needle
• Plastic milk jug
• Rope
• Shepherd’s crook (optional)

What You Do

1. Find a spot where you can set up a bird bath near a wooden fence or post.
   Or if you don’t have such a spot, you can hang your bird dripper from a “shepherd’s crook” which is available at gardening stores.
   Hammer a nail about 6-8 feet from the ground so it is hanging at least a foot above your bird bath.
   Birds are attracted by the sound of moving water, so the idea of this project is to get more birds to come to your bath.
2. Poke a pin in the bottom and top of your milk jug with a pin or needle.
   You may need to experiment later with the size of the pin to get a sporadic drop. You don’t want a steady stream, just something that drips every 5-10 seconds. So start with a small hole first. You put a second hole in the top of your jug to allow air to vent. This will also speed up your drips.
3. Fill your jug with water using your funnel.
   Or if you have a water jug with a small opening, you can use that.
   You could collect rain water or shower water to reduce the environmental impact of your bird bath dripper.
4. Tie a rope from the milk jug handle and hang it above your bird bath.
   Observe your dripper to see if it drips every 5-10 seconds. Add some water to your bird bath directly and you’ll see it makes a satisfying “splop” sound. Birds are attracted to this sound and are more likely to appreciate your bath.
   If it doesn’t drip often enough, take your pin or needle and make the hole bigger.