The Flower-Inspired Lowe's Find That Can Replace Your Boring Birdbath

Nothing will make a bird sing quite like an inviting garden. Native flowering plants, nesting spots, and clean food are all key ingredients to maintaining a bird-friendly garden, but a water source is the most essential element. Birdbaths are perfect in the summer for a refreshing pitstop and hydration, but they're equally important in the winter when water is scarce. Given their value, why settle for the traditional cement birdbath when there are more versatile options that could be better suited to feathered friends' needs?

The Backyard Glory hanging glass birdbath from Lowe's is $25 and sits at a 4.8-star rating, doubling as decor and a necessary accessory for these feathered pollinators. The weather-resistant glass dish is 1 inch deep, shaped like a dahlia, and available in purple and pink, allowing you to coordinate accordingly with the florals you've planted. One customer notes that, "The birds love it and I have to fill it every day." However, gardeners have to be careful of weather: One buyer placed the dish on a shepherd's hook that got knocked over during a storm, and ultimately, the piece broke. Not only does putting your bird bath in the wrong spot matter for little visitors, but accessibility is necessary for cleaning and protective purposes, particularly when bad weather rolls in and temperatures reach freezing levels, which could crack the glass.

While cement birdbaths seem like the obvious choice for greenspaces, they are oftentimes too deep for avian friends and sport a slope that is too severe. "Ideally, the water should be no deeper than 1 inch at the edges, sloping to a maximum of 2 inches deep in the middle of the bath," Holly Grant, a project assistant at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, told Country Living. "Traditional concrete birdbaths sold in garden shops make nice lawn ornaments, but they aren't the best type for birds." You'll need to combine aesthetic elements with suitable features at an appropriate height, which should be at least 3 feet from the ground, according to experts.

Backyard Glory's hanging glass birdbath is a gentler, mobile alternative to concrete finds that can work in various locations, such as trees, hooks, and pergolas, according to the brand. It even allows homeowners with smaller outdoor spaces (or simply balconies) to reap the benefits of a birdbath without taking up much real estate. Additionally, heightened watering sources are a plus for birds — particularly cardinals — as they allow for protection, an accessible place to perch, and easy access to trees.

If you think this little trinket is one way to attract birds to your yard and garden, make sure the surrounding area is also avian-friendly. Keep native plants nearby, avoid potential animal threats like cats, and place the birdbath near partial shade, as the birds need a breather and you don't want the water to go bad from sun exposure. Don't forget about the 3 or 30 rule: Place your birdbath (or feeder) either more than 30 feet from a window or closer than 3 feet in order to protect winged visitors from collisions.