Don't Toss An Old Bundt Pan — Make An Adorable Birdbath Birds Will Love

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Home bakers have used Bundt pans to whip up tasty kitchen confections since the 1950s, but these iconic cake molds can add a little sweetness to your garden, too. You can trade the pleasant aroma of a freshly baked dessert for the equally pleasant chatter of birdsong, as it only takes a few minutes and a couple of inexpensive items to transform an old Bundt pan into a simple DIY birdbath. Even if you don't own a Bundt pan — or, at least, one you're willing to part with — that shouldn't stop you from trying this unique upcycling craft. A suitable Bundt pan, like the Novery non-stick cake pan, can be ordered for as little as $8, or you can check your local thrift store for a used one. 

Thrift stores are also a great place to find the other items needed for this project: a base and any decorative elements you want to add. The YouTube channel 2thesunnyside put together a Bundt pan birdbath using a brass stand and adorned it with a brass doorknob, but there's no shortage of alternatives. You can use multiple household items for the base, as long as they're sturdy enough for birds to land on and able to adhere to your pan. Some ideas include an upside-down flowerpot, a stump, a candlestick, a wooden barstool, or a circular plant stand. Once you find the right base, you're well on your way to creating a bird-friendly garden.

Outdoor elements should be factored in when making this DIY birdbath. Most Bundt pans are made from cast aluminum, which is particularly good at resisting rust but can still corrode outdoors, so you may want to coat the pan in a rust-preventative spray like Rust-Oleum Enamel Gloss Spray Paint. You should also use a waterproof multipurpose adhesive, like E6000, to glue the Bundt pan to your base of choice, with the Bundt pan facing up to form a bowl. It may take up to 72 hours for the glue to fully cure, so keep it in a dry, well-ventilated area until then.

Once the glue is dry, fill the Bundt pan with water and decorative landscaping rocks. Not only do the rocks look nice, but they also eliminate excess space in the Bundt pan, since birds prefer shallow water, no more than 1 to 2 inches deep. To create a bubbling birdbath, you can easily install a solar-powered water pump. The only caveat is that a standard Bundt pan may be too narrow for some solar-powered bird bubblers, so you'll need to opt for a slimmer option, like the Aistin Solar Water Pump Kit. 

Place your new birdbath near shady trees and regularly clean out the water. You can also give the birds something to snack on by crafting a DIY bird feeder from household items like a mesh strainer, plastic bottles, or a Mason jar.