Water for Birds in the Garden

Water for Birds - Photo by Rich Baer
With summer here and many parts of the Pacific Northwest having warm days and little or no rain, it is important not to forget to supply a source of water for birds in the garden. In my own garden, I have several water features and it is very enjoyable to see the diversity of the birds and to watch them come to get a drink. To prevent mosquitoes, always keep the water running, or if that is not possible, such as in a bird bath, rinse the container every couple of days and add fresh water daily. If you have a water feature that does not have running water and would not be practical to rinse often, add a Mosquito Dunk to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It is harmless to birds and prevents mosquito larvae from maturing. An adult female mosquito can lay eggs in something like 2 tablespoons of standing water, so be aware.  Don’t let them ruin your summer evenings in the garden.

About Mike Darcy


Mike lives and gardens in a suburb of Portland, Oregon where he has resided since 1969. He grew in up Tucson, Arizona where he worked at a small retail nursery during his high school and college years. He received his formal education at the University of Arizona where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture, and though he values his formal education, he values his field-experience more. It is hard to beat the ‘hands on’ experience of actually gardening, visiting gardens, and sharing information with other gardeners. Mike has been involved with gardening communications throughout his adult life. In addition to garden writing, he has done television gardening shows in Portland, and for over 30 years he hosted a Saturday radio talk show in Portland. Now he writes, speaks, gardens and continues to share his love of gardening. To be connected to the gardening industry is a bonus in life for Mike. He has found gardeners to be among the friendliest and most caring, generous people. Consequently, many of his friends he has met through gardening.

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