God love ya. At 2 in the morning you're thinking this? Must be a good person. If it were mine, I'd clean the bird bath out with a kettle(s) of hot water, then put the heater in place and fill it with tepid water. Bird baths usually run at about 38 degrees, but I think you'd be better off starting afresh. The temps are going to minus zero territory this weekend. A heating coil just lying in the snow/ice might look like you were branding it. Good luck.

Jane

Is there really such a thing? I was looking at my birdbath and wondering if there was something like that available, 'cause I don't want to have my bird bath frozen all winter...poor birds will be thirsty.

Water heaters are nothing new to chicken keepers and horse owners, so it isn't surprising that they make water heaters to keep birdbaths unfrozen. I'm not sure, but I'd remove the ice and fill the bath with fresh water, then plug in the heater.

I've wondered if birds don't eat the snow when there is no water around in the winter? [g] It just seems to make sense to me, that somewhere in the winter, there are birds that can't find access to water and they must do something.

I'm sure an open bird bath with a heater would be quite attracting to birds in the winter though. I tried a heated dog bowl for a bird bath last year, but for one reason or another, it didn't work out. My bird baths are all the way across the yard from my house and no electricity out there. I have an outdoor outlet with a snap up cover on it, but what do you do, leave it plugged in all the time and do you have to run an outdoor extension the whole winter? Don't you have to be concerned about rain/snow wetting the electric outlet if you have a plug in it and the cover is open?

I've never used a water heater, but yes it would need to be left on all the time to be effective. I imagine it must be unplugged before emptying the water to change it. Also it's a good idea to be sure the water level stays filled. I don't know, but suspect that an immersable heater would become a fire hazard or burn out if the water dried up or disappeared.

I've have various things (mostly outdoor lighting) plugged into my outdoor outlets year round, 24/7, for the past 10 years with never a problem. They are designed to be weatherproof. The little door on the outlet deflects snow and rain because even when open, it rests upon the plugs.

My heated birdbath is on an extension cord, with a waterproof cord cover where the extension meets the birdbath. It's on all the time; I just tilt the bath to empty it or top it off, depending on how clean the water looks. The instruction manual says it's OK if it runs dry - no hazard there, although I wouldn't want to leave it dry for too long. My outdoor outlet is on the porch under an overhang so it's mostly protected from weather, unless the winds get too fierce.

Claire

They must have added some safety precautions to water heaters since the days of aquarium heaters and those electric coils for boiling water for coffee in a mug. Good to know.

Very interesting. We haven't had outdoor lights at all and about the only thing the outdoor outlet is used for is the lawnmower.

Claire, a waterproof cord cover. I'm going to have to ask around for that at the local hardware stores. Thanks.

I use the outdoor extension cord as well, but just tucked the plugs under the birdbath. No fried pigeon yet.

Jane - nice to 'see' you again, PM2

Hi Jane, thanks. I think I saw that you have a pretty nice birdbath on a deck railing on the bird thread. I'm going to have to do better in that department. One of these days...

thought this was interested - link to a heated birdbath on Amazon as well as the 'frequently bought together items' right underneath, the 'water-tight cord lock'

I just searched for 'heated bird bath' - Amazon had a bunch

Here is a link that might be useful: heated bird bath