The 4 Best Birdbaths That Attach To Your Deck For Up-Close Birdwatching

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Bird-watching is one of America's great passions. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 90 million people enjoy watching their feathered friends from the comforts of home. Of the many ways to attract birds to your yard, having a bird bath is critical. Birds need water to bathe in, drink, and help keep them cool in hot weather. While many popular bird baths are designed as pedestals to be placed in your yard as part of creating a bird-friendly garden, you don't need a lot of green space to bring birds in close. If you have a deck with a railing, you can attach a bath with simple hardware, creating a spot for birds to visit just out your back door. 

Deck-mounted bird baths come in a variety of sizes, designs, and price points, from simple plastic baths to heated basins or baths with solar-powered fountains. Because of this, it's easy to find a deck-mounted style that fits your needs. These four bird baths from OUISJYER, Vivihome, API, and Audubon got top marks from consumers for their ease of installation, durability, and cleanliness.

Deck-mounted baths can not only bring in the birds, but be part of your outdoor decor, and this bath is a testament to that. The OUISJYER Deck Mounted Bird Bath is a pretty, copper-colored bath that will bring rustic charm to your deck railing with its wide, 12" basin that can accommodate several bird visitors at once. It is made of a durable galvanized metal, which should be able to withstand freezing and thawing and resist weather corrosion. This bath has over 170 five-star reviews on Amazon. 

Retailing for a reasonable $26, users loved this bath for its detachable bowl that can be simply lifted out of its metal frame, which makes it easy to clean. Purchasers also like its overall sturdiness and ease of installation. The adjustable clamp that comes with this bath fits a variety of deck rail sizes, from .5" to 3.5" wide. A reviewer even states that because of the bath's location, visiting birds have adapted to human presence while using the birdbath, bringing them "up close and personal."

Birds are attracted to water that moves and splashes, which is why many people buy a fountain to float in their bird bath. But you can buy a deck-mounted bath that already comes with the right-sized bubbler. The Vivohome Deck Mounted Bird Bath with Solar Fountain comes with a handy, integrated floating fountain that keeps the water moving. The bubbler is solar-powered, meaning you won't have to deal with a hanging cord or finding a place to plug in on your deck. 

Deeper than many deck-mounted baths on the market, good-looking, green-colored bath mounts easily to a railing with a clamp. The floating fountain comes with three different spray attachments so you can experiment with what kind of spray choice works best with the birds in your area. This bird bath averaged around 4 out of 5 stars among Amazon reviewers, who liked the relaxing sound of the bubbling water. Some reviewers noted that you need plenty of sun for the pump to operate. This bath retails for around $43 on Amazon.

If you live in a climate with icy winters, a heating element that will keep your birdbath from freezing is a great investment for watching your feathered friends visit your deck all year. Several species of birds don't migrate for winter, including mourning doves, chickadees, nuthatches and cardinals. If you have a heated bath, your basin might be the only ice-free water source around, becoming a favorite stop for overwintering birds. 

Amazon's best-selling API Heated Bird Bath has hundreds of five-star reviews, with purchasers liking how easy it is to clean thanks to the ability to simply tilt the bath and dump out the water. The heating element is located in a separate area protected from the water and any interference from visiting birds or other critters. Heated baths are generally more expensive than non-heated, and this one is no exception, retailing at around $120. You'll need a power source on your deck to plug this bird bath into.

Sometimes basic is best, and it doesn't get more simple than the Audubon by Woodink 990997 NABATH Deck Mount bird bath. It's terra cotta-colored basin is made of a lightweight plastic, which makes it easy to take out of its frame for washing, which is a recommended daily practice with any bird bath to keep it clean and disease-free. This bath has a relatively shallow basin, which is great for little birds, but means on warmer days you'll need to keep an eye on the water level due to evaporation. This bath retails for around $35 on Amazon or Walmart. This simple bath isn't fancy, but users give it high marks for its easy clamp attachment. The lightweight plastic bowl is durable, although some noted it could blow away on a windy day and recommended securing it with tape or putting a rock in the bath to keep it in place. 

Top-rated, deck-mounted bird baths were found based on a combination of discussions on social media sites, including YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook, where users recommended different brands, and ranked lists in niche websites like Bird Watching HQ. 

Well-received desk-mounted bird baths discussed online were then further evaluated based on user reviews from retail sites including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Nest. Criteria evaluated included overall consumer satisfaction, as well as reviewer comments about durability, ease of cleaning, and ease of installation.