Say Goodbye To Traditional Birdbaths: 11 Cheaper Upcycled Alternatives You Can DIY

Splish, splash! That’s the sound you hear from your yard all day long when you install a birdbath. But instead of a traditional, store-bought feature, you can upcycle objects you already have (or can find for cheap at thrift shops) into birdbaths. Upcycling is generally a huge money saver, allowing you to offer birds a fresh, safe water source without paying ridiculous prices for the same glorified bowls that half the people in your neighborhood already own. Besides, there’s just something satisfying about turning items like tea cups, serving bowls, buckets, and planter saucers into a bird-friendly feature.

Adding a water source is one of many foolproof ways to attract birds to your yard and garden. Birdbaths don’t have to be fancy or come from the store, but there are several elements to keep in mind when crafting your own from repurposed materials. One important consideration is the depth — 1 to 2 inches is ideal, especially if the depth increases toward the middle. Many found objects are naturally about that depth, but deeper items can still work if you add rocks or other sturdy perches.

The surface texture is also important. Rough, textured surfaces are ideal to avoid slipperiness. However, those same pebbles used to manage depth also make smooth surfaces safer for the birds. Finally, some water movement also makes your DIY birdbath more attractive. If the item you use is large enough, you can add a solar-powered pump to achieve that running water effect. Remember that getting your birdbath sparkling clean on a regular basis and changing the water every couple of days is vital to prevent grime, algae, or mosquitoes from building up, and keeping both birds and humans healthy and happy.

The Joyful Habits YouTube channel showcases a tea cup and saucer birdbath that’s perfect for small garden spaces. Glue together an old cup and saucer you no longer use, or thrift a set — whether or not they match. E6000 glue works well for adhering the two pieces safely. Hang your mini birdbath with twine, or glue it to a slim post or stake and put it in the ground. You can even pair it with a matching seed source by transforming an old tea cup and saucer into a cute bird feeder.

A large, sturdy plant saucer has the ideal depth to work as a birdbath and chances are you have one lyng around. You may need to add pebbles in the bottom as the saucer could get slippery. One simple way to set this idea up is to arrange four bricks on the ground and place the saucer on them. You could also transform an old tomato cage into a simple birdbath by resting a saucer in the top ring of the cage. Or use a plant stand to hold the tray.

You can create a birdbath out of an unexpected kitchen item — a pickling crock. Nicole from compassacres on Instagram did this with an inherited stoneware crock. You can thrift one — though they’re generally not cheap — or opt for a more common alternative like an old stockpot. Nicole added a wide flagstone rock to create a shallow platform, but you could also use the lid of whatever container you’re using. Upside-down terracotta pots inside the crock or pot will elevate the rock platform, and an added bubbler fountain helps, since many birds like moving water.

An empty kitty litter bucket serves as an inexpensive birdbath in this idea from Char’s Nest. The large square buckets typically have tightly fitted lids with a shallow indent, perfect as a watering area. The creator painted the bucket and added fountain workings inside with the spout coming out through the center of the lid. Pebbles on top provide birds a place to stand and grip. You can skip the fountain and just pour water on the lid. Consider adding larger rocks inside the bucket to keep it from tipping.

On Facebook, Lori Kay Brown shares the simple but effective idea for upcycling an old metal trash can lid into a birdbath. Flipping the lid upside down creates the perfect shallow vessel for collecting water (you may need to seal any holes or leaks around the handle). A rounded stack of pavers props up the lid. Brown added a solar fountain in the trash can lid to add a little movement. Since metal can get slick (or hot), adding rocks or even bathtub stickers might be particularly useful.

An old serving bowl you no longer use can work as a simple birdbath. Depending on the size of the bowl and how much of a rim it has, you may be able to drop it into a tomato cage like YouTube creator Julie DeCook. Alternatively, use a chain flower pot holder to hang it, or secure it to a post, stump, or similar structure. Bowls made before 1971 may contain unsafe levels of lead in the glaze or paint, so you may not want to use them. Add rocks to mitigate the depth.

All those random glass bowls, serving trays, and candlesticks you no longer use can be combined to create a unique water feature. DIYers like YouTuber My Little Slice of Paradise thrift a variety of decorative glassware to form the pedestal and basin. Test different stacking arrangements to find an option that looks good and feels sturdy. (A wide base is typically the sturdiest option.) Glue everything together with E6000. But monitor your project under sunlight for some time to confirm it isn’t a possible fire hazard as concentrated light passes through it.

Table lamps naturally have a pedestal-style design that translates well into a birdbath base. Repurpose one you no longer use or thrift a cheap lamp with a unique silhouette. Remove as much of the socket and post as you can to create a flat top. You can also add a wood platform to cover any components that stick up. Use exterior stain or paint, like YouTuber Bobbi Jo’s does, to endure outdoor conditions. Finally, glue a shallow bowl, tray, or plate with edges on top as the basin.

That old Pyrex glass lid that no longer has its casserole dish can serve as a hanging birdbath as demonstrated by YouTuber Sadie Seasongoods. Simply turn it upside down and slip it into a chain hanger with four support chains to keep it stable. The raised edges of the lid hold just a bit of water to create a shallow spot for birds to drink and bath. You can also attach the lid to a wide PVC pipe, with the knob resting inside the pipe so it sits level.

An old frying pan is roughly the size and shape of a birdbath, so why not repurpose it when its frying days are done? Remove the handle to make it more birdbath-like. That might require you to use a screwdriver to remove the screws, and you may need to seal the holes. Sand down any nonstick coating that’s peeling; you can repaint the whole thing if you want to freshen up the look. Attach it to a wooden stake, lamp base, rock, or stump to give it a little height and a stable base.

The WadaGoodIdea YouTube channel shared a creative birdbath using an upside-down hummingbird feeder and a solar-powered fountain pump. The creator uses a soldering iron to punch holes in the plastic, and runs the fountain tubing up through a plastic cup and into the hummingbird feeder. The pump sits in a bucket below the basin (made from a large bowl or charger), hidden inside a planter. The pump pushes water from the bucket up through the feeder and out the holes to create a showering water effect.