19 Bird Bath Fountain Ideas - Happy DIY Home (2024)

A bird bath fountain is an excellent way to add interest to your yard while making it more bird friendly. You can make your own or buy a nice kit to help you create your bird bath fountain. The soothing sound of the running water is a fantastic thing to listen to as you sit back and relax after a long day. You can get these bird bath fountains in different sizes and colors, and you can securely anchor them into the ground to ensure they stay in place where you need them too.

Since it can be intimidating to make your DIY bird bath fountain from scratch, I’m going to include several nice kits you can purchase that give you the body of the fountain All you have to do is hook it up to water and let it run. You can make more than one to dot around your yard, and these bird bath fountains will work to draw all of the birds into your yard to take a bath and play.

Birds like to splash around in the water, and combining a bird bath and a fountain is one easy way to give them an attractive area to perch and spend time.

1. Plant Pot Bird Bath Fountain

This simple and fun bird bath fountain will take under an hour to put together, and you’ll need two glazed or plastic plant pots in different sizes, one plastic pail, one glazed or plastic flower pot saucer, river rocks, and a solar-powered bird bath fountain pump. The first thing you have to do is level the ground where you want your fountain to sit. Set the bigger flower pot on your newly leveled ground. Put the plastic pail into the bottom of the large pot. This will be the base to set the saucer. Set the large saucer on top of the pail inside the bigger pot. If it’s too big to fit without hanging over, trim the edges.

Place the smaller flower pot into the center of the saucer and pile river rocks around it to help keep everything steady, balanced, and in place. If the top pot comes with a drainage hole, seal it. Fill the top pot with water. Drop the solar pump into the middle of the smaller pot and let the sun do the rest. You will want it in a sunny location so the sun can power it. Be prepared to refill the fountain on hot days to combat evaporation. Also, if you notice the solar pump is moving too much, secure it in place with wire.

2. VIVOHOME Bird Bath Fountain

If you’re looking for an elegant and whimsical bird bath fountain for your newest patio idea, this is it. It uses a classic style that has a bronzed patina finish and a carved hollow base. The shell-shaped bowl is very beautiful, and there is a girl holding an umbrella on the top. It comes with a broad base with three ground stakes to hold it in place, and the resin coating protects it from wear and tear. It’s easy to assemble, and it creates a nice cascade of water.

3. Tiered Ceramic Pot Bird Bath Fountain

This bird bath fountain can have as many tiers as you like, but I chose three to make it slightly larger so it wouldn’t get swallowed in the backyard. You’ll need three ceramic pots in small, medium, and large, river rocks, water pump, ½-inch rubber hose, silicone, drill, and landscape pavers. To start, drill a hole in the largest pot to feed your pump’s plug through. Fill in any other holes with silicone, including around the pump plug and let it dry for at least 24 hours. Drill holes in each of the pots to feed the ½-inch rubber hose through. This will carry the water through the pots.

Go out into your yard and find a level space or level a space for your pots. It’ll be extremely heavy once you get the rocks in so you want it in place first. Set your largest pot down on the ground. Insert a few landscape pavers to give the second pot a bit of height and backfill in around it with rocks. Repeat this process until you have a three-tiered setup. All of the pots should be full of rocks. Plug your pump in, fill the pots with water, and let the water trickle down. The end of the hose should stop in the middle of the smallest pot. If the pots have a lip, the water will create a more tranquil sound.

Terracotta pots make unique and durable bird bath fountains. You can pick out several different shapes and sizes to create a fun space for the birds to gather.

4. Sunnydaze 2-Tier Outdoor Water Fountain

This dual-tiered bird bath fountain stands just under three-feet tall, and it weighs in at 30 pounds. It uses fiberglass and resin to create a durable fountain, and you can put it by your hot tub enclosure to draw the birds in. It runs off solar power, but you get a backup battery pack that you can use to ensure it pumps the water on less sunny days. It comes with a one-year warranty against defects or damage, and you can choose from four colors. There is plenty of space for birds to sit and enjoy the water.

5. Small Egg Fountain

If you’re looking for a smaller bird bath fountain to place on your patio railing or on a table, this small egg fountain is a nice fit. You can purchase most of the items you need at your local nursery to help cut costs. First, you’ll need a ceramic sphere fountain top with a pre-drilled hole. You’ll also need fountain tubing, a pump, pea gravel, a deep basin or bowl, and water. Rinse your pea gravel very well to avoid cloudy water. Put your rinsed gravel into your basin or bowl until it fills it halfway full.

Many of the ceramic fountain tops come in a grey coloring, so you can paint and seal it if you want to change it up. If you do, let it dry 100% before you assemble it. Thread the pump hose through the fountain top so it’s right at the opening. Set the topper into the gravel, making sure you keep the pump upright and inside the ceramic sphere. Fill the basin with water, plug it in, and let the water cycle through. That’s it! Your new fountain is now ready for the birds to sit on the edges and enjoy it.

6. Smart Solar Solar-On-Demand Fountain

This bird bath fountain will charge over the course of one or two sunny days and give you up to six hours of run time. You can choose from four styles to help them blend into your decor, and you can switch it on and off as you like. It uses fiberglass reinforced concrete in the design to make it very durable and resistant to wear and tear, and the water will gently bubble over to give the birds two tiers to play in. It works great as a desert landscaping idea to add a soothing touch.

7. Ceramic Pot Bird Bath Fountain

For this bird bath fountain, you’ll need a ceramic pot, five-gallon bucket, metal screen, aluminum l-brackets, submersible pump, hose, outdoor plug with GFCI, tupperware container, silicone caulk, and a spray attachment if you want one. Start by digging a hole to bury your five-gallon bucket into the ground. Cut your l-brackets to fit over the top of the bucket and help support the pot’s weight. Get wire cutters and cut out a wire mesh square that fits over the pot while leaving a hole in the center for the pump’s hose to thread through.

Place your pump in the bottom of the bucket. You can set the tupperware container in first with two larger rocks and rest the pump on top of the rocks. This will prevent debris from clogging the pump. Run your tubing through the mesh and pot to attach it to your spray nozzle. Rocks will help hold the tubing in place. Caulk around the bottom of the pot around the tubing to form a watertight seal. Let it dry according to the directions. Add water, plug it in, and watch the water flow.

Using bigger ceramic pots is a great way to create a more eye-catching bird bath. Bright colors also help, and you can stack them several tiers high if you have a bigger yard.

8. Alpine Corporation Alpine Floor Fountain

This bird bath fountain has a shallow shape that allows the birds to wade into it and play in the water without it being too deep. You’ll only need a few tools to set it up and get it running. You can choose from rustic bronze or vintage green, and it has a triple tier fountain that water trickles down. There is a full year warranty against defects or damage, and the base is slightly wider to give it more stability. It comes with a six-foot cord and a pump for easy setup.

9. Large Bubbling Flower Pot Fountain

Anyone who already has a large flower pot on hand can make this bird bath fountain for a few dollars. This is a very quick project that is perfect for your average DIYer. You’ll need a pot that is 24-inches across or bigger, premixed, quick-dry cement, fountain and pump, bricks, liquid water sealant, and an outlet. Set your pump into the bottom of the container and pull the electrical cord through the drainage hole. Pull enough cord out to plug it in and have slack. Use the premixed quick-drying cement to close the drainage hole, ensuring you give it enough time to dry.

Get a liquid water sealant and seal the inside of your flower pot. Let it dry. Stack bricks inside the container to elevate your pump. You can stop a few inches below the water’s surface. Fill the pot with water and connect your pump. The water level shouldn’t fall below your pump to avoid burning it out. Let it run. You will have to periodically add water to the fountain because it’ll evaporate.

10. Square Bird Bath Water Fountain

This simple but classic bird bath fountain is a great feature to put next to your bird feeder. It uses a durable resin in the design to help it last longer, and it has a stone and wood grain appearance that is very attractive. There are LED lights built into the fountain to allow you to create an eye-catching yard feature after dusk. You get everything you need to get this fountain up and running, including a slightly longer power cord. There is a one-year warranty attached to each fountain.

11. Steel Tub Bird Bath Fountain

This bird bath fountain is a mix of a water feature and a space to put your aquatic plants. The plants create natural coverage for the birds to hide in when they use it. You’ll need a 15-gallon steel tub, solar fountain pump, water, and whichever plants you’d like to incorporate. Select a location for your steel tub that is level. Put it where you want it and put your plants in place, making sure you leave room for the pump.

If you’d like, you can add rocks around the plants to create a more natural look, and the rocks will help to hold the plants in place. The plants will clean the water to keep it clear. Once you have everything where you want it, add your solar pump to the middle of the fountain. Fill it with water and let it run. Since it’s solar-powered, it’ll only run when the sun shines on it and for a few hours afterward. The birds can sit on the edge of the steel tub or in the flowers and bathe in the water.

Big steel tubs make excellent fountains and birdbaths because they’re durable, and they add a rustic charm to your yard.

12. Glitzhome 2-Tier Outdoor Water Fountain

Although this bird bath fountain features durable resin for the build, you get a unique design that looks like stone walls. This would go perfect next to a wildlife pond, and it gives the birds two places to bathe. This is a freestanding fountain that hides the pump in the base, and it has two smaller bird accents with one on each bowl. The water will bubble up from the top before cascading down into the deeper second basin. All you have to do is find a place for it, fill it with water, plug it in, and enjoy it.

13. Retaining Wall Bird Bath Fountain

This chic bird bath fountain is right at home with any rustic decor. You’ll need a large round plastic tote, a five-gallon bucket, wire, a pump, tubing, PVC pipe to support the tubing, and rocks. To start, you’ll dig a hole that is deep enough to bury the large rounded tote. The top of the tote should come to the hole’s edge. Place the pump and tubing in the bottom of the tote. Get your five-gallon bucket and cut a hole in the bottom that is big enough for the tubing to go through. Flip it upside down, thread the tubing through, and place the open end over the pump. Fill it with water.

Get a square of a thicker wire fence or mesh and lay it over your buried tote and bucket. Thread the tubing up through your wire. Create a tube of wire however high you want it. This will be your water feature. Set it over the buried tote, making sure that the tubing is in the center. You can use wire pieces and thread them between the square on the ground and the wire tube for stability. Place your PVC pipe in the center of this wire tube and bring the pump tubing up through until it comes out the top. Take rocks and stack them between the wire tube and the PVC, and build them up until you reach the top. Switch the pump on and let the water come out the top and run back down into your bucket. This creates a shallow area for the birds at the top of the fountain.

14. OKMEE Solar Fountain

This simple product will turn any bird bath into a bird bath fountain using solar power. You can illuminate it with your solar garden lights to create a whimsical look. There is a four-in-one nozzle design with this product that allows you to change how it looks. All you have to do is pop it into your current bird bath and let the sun charge it. It suctions to the bottom of the bird bath to hold it in place, and it’ll filter out any debris to stop it from accidentally clogging.

15. Rock Pile Bird Bath

For this bird bath fountain, you’ll need a five-gallon bucket, two large flat saucers to form the base, pump, silicone, drill, tubing, medium terracotta pot and saucer, large river rocks, and water. To start, you’ll level out the ground and take one of the flat saucers for the base. Take your five-gallon bucket and set your pump inside it. Take the second large saucer and center it over your five-gallon bucket. You’ll have to drill a hole in the middle of the saucer to feed the tubing through. Flip the medium terracotta pot upside down and set it in the middle of the saucer.

You’ll use the drainage hole in the medium pot to feed the pump’s tubing through. You can seal around them with silicone if you want to create a watertight seal. Drill a hole in the middle of the medium terracotta pot’s saucer and stack it on top of the pot. Get your river rock and build it up around the five-gallon bucket until you reach the larger saucer sitting on top of the bucket to form a stone base. Fill it with water and let it run. If you want to disguise the hose and nozzle, you can set a rock on top of it. This will force the water to trickle down into the large basin.

Landscape pavers or river rock create a nice solid base for your bird bath’s basin. They won’t show a lot of wear and tear, and they’re very heavy to help reinforce it.

16. Nova Microdermabrasion Pedestal Bird Bath

This antique-looking bird bath fountain will look nice in your rock garden. It’s a pedestal-style bird bath that has three tiers in an antique green coloring. It uses premium resin in the design that won’t rust or fade, and it has a self-contained system to cycle the water over and over again. There are three ground stakes that you can use to secure the fountain to the ground to ensure it doesn’t fall over. Finally, the power cord is slightly longer to give you more freedom of movement.

17. Hanging Bird Bath Fountain

To create a hanging bird bath fountain, all you’ll need is a pump, water, wire plant basket, and a bowl or basin. To start, decide where you want to hang your new fountain. If you use a solar pump, this should be a space that gets a lot of sunlight during the day so it runs. If not, you can easily hang it in the shade. Once you decide on a spot, nail or screw in an eye hook for your fountain. Hang the basket and set your basin or bowl inside it. You want it to be slightly deeper so you don’t have to refill it constantly. Fill it with water and put your pump inside. Switch it on. Make sure the water level is over the pump if you’re using a traditional one so it doesn’t accidentally burn out.

18. Peaktop Water Glazed Pot Fountain

This sleek and elegant bird bath fountain has a slightly smaller area for the birds to gather. It features vibrant colors and a low design that allows you to set it up on any table or tree stump in your forest garden and let it run. It uses a hidden submersible pump to cycle the water through, and the water comes out of the top before gently running down the sides. This is a corded electric model that is very easy to put together, and it’s not loud enough to scare the birds away.

19. Grapevine Wreath Bird Bath Fountain

The final bird bath fountain on our list takes advantage of the small floating pump discs you can buy to power it. You’ll need a slightly larger grapevine wreath, floating pump, terracotta tray, ribbon, paint, scissors, and poly spray. To start, paint your terracotta tray any color you like, wait for it to dry, and spray it with a coating of poly to seal it. While this dries, you’ll cut three pieces of ribbon. This ribbon will be the support that holds your grapevine wreath and your terracotta tray up. Make sure they’re all the same length.

Take each piece of ribbon and wrap them around your grapevine wreath while knotting them in place. Space them apart evenly to form a triangle and knot them all together at the top. Place your painted and sealed tray in the middle of the grapevine wreath. Hang it up, fill it with water, and add your floating pump disc. It’s now ready for the birds.

Dried grapevine wreaths create a stable holder for your basin. They look natural, and you can customize it however you like to create a unique look.

Bottom Line

These 19 bird bath fountains are easy and fun ways to add interest to your yard while giving your birds a safe area to play in the water and take a bath. You can make your own from scratch using one of my suggestions, or there are kits you can buy that give you step-by-step instructions. Try them out and watch the birds flock to your yard all spring and summer long!