Home Stories A to Z

Creating beauty out of chaos and sharing my home decor stories

DIY Bird Bath

Learn how to create a beautiful DIY bird bath with this step-by-step pictorial tutorial! All you will need is an oil pan, PVC pipe, pump, and plastic tub filled with water. Post contains affiliate links.

DIY bird bath tutorial

Step 1: Gather your supplies. (Click blue words to shop for the products.)

Step 2: Drill holes in tray and set on table.

DIY birdbath tutorial

Place the tray on a table so that the tray overhangs from the table by a few inches. Place the plastic tub of water underneath the tray overhang. Determine where you want the water to drain from the pan back into the tub. Using a 1/2 inch drill bit, drill one or two drainage holes in your pan.

Step 3: Place pump in tub and measure PVC pipe.

Set the pump in the tub and measure from the fitting on top of the pump to the top of the oil pan. This is the length that you will need to cut your first section of  PVC pipe.

Step 4: Prepare your second PVC pipe.

Measure the distance from the farthest edge of your pan to your first PVC pipe and cut a second piece of PVC pipe to this measurement. Using a 3/16 bit, drill single-file holes only on ONE SIDE of the pipe. Be careful that you do not drill all the way through the pipe or your water will not spray correctly. You want the water to spray out of the pipe and into the pan as pictured below.

DIY birdbath tutorial

Step 5: Use a PVC pipe 90 • elbow to secure pipes together.

Step 6: Cap off the PVC pipe.

Use a PVC pipe cap at the end of your pipe to secure the waterflow out of the drilled holes.

Oil pan bird bath tutorial

Step 7: Fill with water and plug in.

Using your wood shims, shimmy the end of the pan on the opposite side of the tub to allow the water to easily drain back into the tub. Fill the tub with water, plug in the pump, and enjoy!

Thanks to Amazing Bird Stuff for allowing me to share your tutorial with my readers! You can find Amazing Bird Stuff on Facebook.


If you liked this post, you might also like my DIY Garden Bird Bath Tutorial.

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Comments

  1. Glenn says

    Here in north-central Colorado, elevation 5,600 feet, it is 7 degrees F. That will be the high today. Hundreds of birds have come to my heated birdbath for a drink. I have refilled the 2-gallon bath four times today, and will need to fill it at least once more before sundown. So I MUST design a 5-10 gallon bird bath, not more than 5 inches deep. I have not seen one anywhere on the internet. When I do finish this project, I will post it here.

    • K says

      it looks like this is just a little water catcher for the stream coming from the pipe. water lands in the red, what looks to be a silicone baking mold, and then runs over the side into the pan.

  4. Dot says

    I would like to know how deep the water is in the pan. On the hole made in the pan for the return water, how high does the pipe stick out above the inside pan surface and what do you use to seal the hole in the pan from the return pipe? Do you cover this pipe with something so stuff doesn’t get sucked down to the holding water?

  5. Don Rawding says

    I have an old s/s drainer and sink from the kitchen refurb. I am going to use that with a solar powered pump. Waiting for delivery of pump now to see if it works. Here in Australia it gets very hot in summer so the solar powered pump seems logical because that is when the birds will need the water for cooloing.

    • Gayle says

      Where did you get it and what kind of solor pump did you use? everything else the same?

  7. Carol Rogers says

    Does the pVC just slip over the port in the pump or do you have to glue it to the port? I’m having a hard time finding a pump with a port that fits the PVC. What size PVC was used in the video?

    • Beth says

      No glue was used. Some people have had to connect soft tubing and a coupling to make it work with their pump and pipe. Many have had success asking an employee at the hardware store to help brainstorm solutions that work with their specific pump port.

      • Glenn Lapp says

        I am having the same problem. I have everything ready but I can not find a pump that fits the 1/2 PVC.
        Do I have to use some soft tubing with an adapter to connect the pump to the pipe? What happens to the pressure in the PVC pipe that discharges the water?

      • Susanne says

        Really wish you had included pictures of putting the pump together with the piping. As is, I’m confused.

  8. Bridgett says

    I live in Western NYS and this year has been a record year for hummers! In addition to my feeders (which they empty every other day) they have been feasting on Russian Sage, Zinnia’s, Morning Glories and Fuschia. I seen my first ruby throated hummer and was thrilled. I picked a bouquet of zinnias for the house and the hummers were buzzing around them; it was thrilling. We have a small pond near their feeder and they enjoy that and share it with robins, mourning doves and finches.

  10. Mark says

    Can someone please tell me what size the bucket needs to be, I guess in gallons, for the setup shown above? I read all of the comments and did not see anything about the size of the bucket. Thanks

    • Beth says

      The bucket used in the original post is a clear plastic bin storage container. I believe it’s around 66 QTs.

  11. Kelan says

    Gonna make one got lots of hummingbirds here im located in homosassa Florida have lots of hummingbird flowers and feeders throughout the front and back yard see lots of hummingbirds i think they need a hummingbird bath

  12. Pat says

    All of you are so crafty, how about I get all the supplies and some one come build it for me! Oh and figure out a way to keep the Gakkles out, the big black birds that fight and scare off all the smaller birds! Thanks. Love the idea though and will try to get some one to help me!

  13. August Armstrong says

    I love this and am going to try to build one myself but with a few changes. I had ordered a galvanized oil drip tray until I read the post about the zinc on it being toxic. So I cancelled my order and looked on line yesterday for some kind of safer alternative. I found a large fiberglass food grade tray and ordered that. It is a little smaller but should be big enough – 17 13/16 inches by 25 11/16 inches and only 11/16 inch deep. Plus it comes in several color choices which might help with heat absorption during the summer. I ordered the turquoise green. Will let you know how it comes out! So excited lol!

      • August Armstrong says

        Works great, looks great but no birds enjoying it yet. May have made it to late in the season and the birds are just not used to it. I bought some small plastic plant vines that I plan to add on to the copper pipe to make it more appealing. I have 3 hummingbird feeders placed around it also but I seem to have one aggressive hummingbird that chases others away. He/she may be part of the problem. Plan to put feeders and bath out early next spring and hope to attract more then. I posted a video on the Amazing birds fb page as a comment on one of the original videos. Plan to make a step by step tutorial for any interested.

        • August Armstrong says

          BTW I used a bit of copper coiled pipe (like you would use to hook up a refrigerator ice maker) and some vinyl tubing to hook everything together – no pvc pipe at all.

  15. Dave says

    I went and got a bigger pump. 155-250 gph, and now too much pressure. It’s shooting over the tray. It’s turned to it’s lowest setting. I’ll get a bigger tray tomorrow. Should I make the holes smaller, or larger? Thanks for the help.

    • Beth says

      If there is too much pressure, then you need to relieve some of it by making the holes larger or adding more holes.

  17. Dave says

    I did just like you have shown, but the water will not spray as shown. Do I make the holes bigger, or smaller

    • Beth says

      Hi Dave, I’m sorry to hear it’s not working properly. I would recommend experimenting to see what the problem might be. If all connections are secure and the end of your PVC pipe isn’t leaking, but water isn’t spraying out of the holes, try placing your finger over several holes to block them and see if that helps the spray. If so, you may have drilled too many holes and there currently isn’t enough pressure. You would need to plug a few holes or re-drill them.

  18. Kim Gordon says

    A really nice little project but i am not sure you should use galvanized metal for this. Birds can be sensitive to the zinc. i am not sure if you would leach enough zinc to be a problem but why take chances. Stainless or or food grade plastic might be safer choices.

  20. Beth says

    For about $15 I bought a solar powered fountain on Amazon.com I put it in a very large planter pot filled with water just to hear the water. I just put comets in it. Now I want a different container, wider, not quite as deep with varied depths. I’ve seen hummingbirds around here so….

    • Beth says

      Solar Power Bird Bath Fountain,SOONHUA Solar Panel Water Floating Fountain Pump Kit for Bird Bath,Fish Tank,Small Pond,Garden Decoration

  21. Dell says

    Would be nicer to people if you show step by step in video. One thing is reading, other is watching the video.
    It is not as easy as its seems.

  23. Alvin Stevens says

    Love your comments I’ll try this,I have a hummingbird feeder now but not much action. The one comment l read sounds good a lot of blooming flowers around sounds good ,maybe the humming birds would come around,thanks for posting this.

    • Robin says

      I would like to see more photos of the build. A photo of the entire structure from farther away would be very helpful. Thank you!

  28. Shari says

    How about using a solar panel to power the pump? Doesn’t seem like it would be too hard to put together. I hate running cords across the yard.

  30. kathy wyatt says

    This is adorable! Its our second year for a Hummingbird feeder and this year its a feeding frenzy! Would love to make this but on a smaller scale! Thanks. Shoeing the hubs

    • Beth says

      You can pin a picture from this post and the pin you save will always lead you back here once clicked on.

  33. Marlene Delurey says

    I am concerned about the galvanized pan. We have a koi pond and we wanted to winter our fish indoors . We used a galvanized cow trough and the fish died we think , because something coming from the galvanized tub.

  34. Cielo says

    Love love that hummingbird birdbath… how cool is that! Thank you for sharing the instructions on how to make one and the cutest of little video… 😉

    Cielo

  36. Gail M. Murphy says

    If I used a metal pan as illustrated, the water would become too hot too quickly here in Florida. There are PVC pans that might be more appropriate for hot climates. My issue is the lack of a power outlet. I hate running cords, but in this case, Ill make an exception!

  37. Pam says

    I’m going to make this! I live just outside of Pittsburgh PA and I get lots of ruby throat hummingbirds, I would love to be able to watch this in real life! We will see what happens 🙂

    Thanks for the tute!!

    Pam

  39. Mike says

    Hey everyone. I love this project, but want to give a note to all of you. DO NOT use any galvanized anything around birds. It is coated with zinc oxide which is 100% lethal to all birds. It is most troublesome when ingested, and if any of the coating were to chip off and a bird ate it, they would eventually die from heavy metal toxicity. Please use something plastic or stainless steel if you do this project! It is a longshot, but the fact there is drilling involved, a plastic pan would make me less worries. We love the birdies and want them to be safe!

    Take care everyone!

  40. Niki H says

    I know there’s been a lot of questions already, but do you happen to know what the spacing is on the holes drilled into the PVC? I joined the FB page but can’t seem to find the actual post to ask this question.

  41. Mother Nature says

    this is such a cool idea. I am going to show it to my husband and see if we can make one of these for my outdoor aviary. I have finches, cockatiels and parakeets. I think they would love this. it is so hot and humid here in south florida. this would be refreshing for them and with the water circulating all the time there wouldn’t be any problem with mosquitoes.

  42. Kitty Forseth says

    You could even add a mist feature using a drip irrigation attachment, they love a fine mist :). I am definitely going to make one of these for our hummies!

  44. Diane says

    Hi! I would love to make this for my mom for Mother’s Day. Where did you buy the green PVC pipe? Or did you paint it?

  45. Pam says

    Can someone please comment if you think this bird bath would attract more hummers if it’s located in a sunny or shady spot…does it matter? Thanks in advance

  46. Liz Lemmey says

    Oh, yes! I knew the moment I first saw it that I would be making one of these. Thanks for publishing instructions. Makes it a no brainer.

  47. Sharon Berkey says

    I love everything about that hummingbird bird bath. I am in the process of putting one together. Thanks for sharing!

  48. Vanessa Cox says

    This is a really cool idea; however, bird baths get dirty fast. I keep at least one birdbath in the summer, and I scrub it with a toilet brush (reserved for the bird bath) at least every other day when refilling. The dirt is from the bird droppings and dirt off of the birds, not from standing water (I have to refill several times a day when it’s hot). I think you’d have to dump this and clean all the rocks and stuff at least once a week. Don’t mean to be a killjoy, just maybe think about using fewer items in it . Or, do you have ways to keep it clean that I’m not thinking of?

  49. Carla Seif says

    please make sure to place screen over tub of water, birds get trapped in buckets and tubs, this will also keep debri out of water, to attract them hang humming bird feeders nearby, use boiled sugar water not the red store bought stuff. to make boil 1 cup sugar in 4 cups water! cool before using, Very easy and can be stored in fridge.

  51. TerriO says

    Fantastic idea! Now if Mother Nature would just start to cooperate here in Wisconsin I could get going on the idea! Because I have free range birds on my farm I will use the idea above about covering the water supply! I would hate to have a duck swimming in the tub–and it would happen…
    Thanks again for the great idea!

  52. Janyce Thompson says

    I would really like to see an overall picture of the set up. One where you can see the table and the water container.

  53. k sridhar says

    Really Awesome fantastic Diy tutorial on bird bath iam exciting to do this as soon as possible i really appreciate your work for the nature..
    can i add your link to my blog with your permission..

    • Beth says

      Thanks for asking! My copyright policy allows for one picture of mine to be used with link back to the original URL.

  54. Marian Murdoch says

    This is going to be FABULOUS for the hummingbirds in my area! The temperatures here get upwards of 120F in the summertime and the poor hummingbirds get easily overheated. I’m wondering if a plastic tray would be better, though, since metal absorbs heat more.

  55. Russ Harris says

    The pictures don’t do justice to how big this oil drip pan actually is. It’s HUGE. To get an idea, take a tape measure and measure out 25 inches by 36 inches. It isn’t going to fit the entire thing on a small table. I have a large round patio table I will fit it on. But if the pan proves to be too big, I’ll just adapt to other ideas—such as a rectangular non rusting baking sheet or a plastic entry shoe tray.. These two ideas could work equally as well but on a smaller scale for those who don’t have the area to use the metal drip pan.

    If someone has a smaller area in which to have this feeder, just think outside the box as to what substitute pans might work, such as the two examples above.

    • Beth says

      Yes, the oil drip pan pictured is very large in scale. Smaller sizes can be found at the automotive store or you can substitute the pan with a large rimmed cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

  56. Nancy Lopez says

    What size pump did you use, Ms. Carol? I’m so excited about this project and will let you know when I get it completed!!! This is my first time seeing and visiting your website…..BUT definitely well not be my LAST !!!! Nancy Lopez marviepooh@aol.com

    • Beth says

      Hi Nancy, thanks for visiting my blog. I had Carol guest post for me on my blog, Home Stories A to Z. Carol doesn’t have a website yet so I asked if I could share her tutorial and she agreed. 🙂 You can use any 210 GPH Submersible Aquarium Water Pump. Click this link for some options on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1qBXIZA

  57. Dawn says

    I just love this idea and can’t wait to try it. What pump did you use?Can you give more details about the pump? Not sure of the size/GPH?
    Thank you☀️

  58. Carolyn Bowman says

    How is the pump attached to the pvc pipe. I have a pump for a 5 gallon aquarium and the outlet valve for the pump is quite small.

    • Beth says

      The PVC pipe is attached directly to the valve. Your pump’s outlet valve will determine the size of PVC pipe needed. If it’s small, then you may need a union joint in order to attach the pipe.

    • Laura says

      Make sure your pump is the right type, it sounds like you may have an air pump. You need a submersible water pump.
      Harbor Freight has them at very reasonable prices.

  59. Mary Lee Nance says

    I love this! I am also going to try to make something similar. I have an old fountain that I am not going to use as is any more. I think I can use what I have, bucket, pump, rocks, !/2 barrel (in place of table) and come up with something. Maybe a Pizza pan since I have the round barrel.
    The fountain I have is a fake old time water pump. I have the bucket in the middle of the barrel and it is surrounded with dirt for planting if desired. On top of the bucket, I placed a pie pan with holes drilled all over the bottom. Then I covered the pie pan with rocks. So my water supply was always covered. Then the old time pump spills onto the rocks and drains back into the water supply.

  60. Lori Ferens says

    Thanks for a fabulous DIY project!

    If you didn’t want to have an open tub of water beneath the table (for instance, if you had small children or pets) you could use a smaller storage tub or container, something that has a lid. First, drill one larger drainage hole at the same end and corner where the upflow pipe is, and affix a drainage pipe beneath the tray under the hole so that it runs down parallel to the upflow pipe. Use a container that’s just large enough for the pump and pipes to fit through the top and cut out holes in the lid big enough for the two pipes. You’d have to put the lid on over the pipes before you connected the upflow pipe to the pump, then put the pump + pipes in the container and filled it up before sliding the lid down to seal the container. This would prevent stuff from falling into the water reservoir and requiring it to be cleaned out frequently, and a smaller reservoir of water also means you would be adding fresh water more often, preventing the water in the reservoir from growing algae or becoming tepid. Plus, a small container allows your table fountain to be more portable so you can place anywhere around your garden or deck.

    Definitely going to have at least one or two of these in my yard this year! 🙂

    • Kay says

      I agree with making sure the reservoir is closed- for several reasons. You should also make it a black, or close to black container to prevent algae from growing in it. You want to block the light as much as possible. We had a bird die in our hydroponics reservoir last year. We didn’t realize that birds could get into the open holes of the lid to the reservoir. We went to add nutrients to the water and found the poor little bird had drowned. I was just heartbroken.

      I am going to build one of these as my next project- I just finished building a tiered fountain with sips for the bees and butterflies. I will try to use the reservoir as the support for the tray- that will keep the light out, offer support for the tray, and will minimize the possibility of an animal getting into the reservoir. I think I will also try a plastic tray. I’m concerned that in my area (NC) that the metal will get blistering hot.

      I love this design. I found this on the Rain Gutter Grow System Facebook page.

      • Lynn from Florida says

        Kay, the water will keep the tray cool. I would not put this in full sun though as the water itself could heat up to an uncomfortable temperature.

    • Sue Castle says

      I purchased a rubbermaid type tote with the lid being roughly one inch deep on top. I’m going to try using that with the tote as the water reservoir. I’m excited to try this. We always get a couple hummer each year, but between this and a couple extra feeders I’m hoping to attract more. Smiles

  62. Ava says

    Any chance of adding a photos of the table and a view of the overall set-up showing the pan underneath – something not from above, but from the side. What kind of table was used? Thanks.

    • Beth says

      The type of table used is just a simple outdoor plastic folding table. You can use any outdoor table that will withstand the weather. A patio table or bistro table would also work.

      • Traci Morgan says

        Would you consider making a video? My son & I want to make one for Father’s Day.

      • Lee says

        if you are crafty enough you can use PVC pipe and fitting to make a table to hold this and the tub underneath it. just have to make a square for the top and cut the long sides to put in a three way and run pipes from side to side also, make the four legs the height you want the tray from the ground and do a matching square for the bottom, then make a second one to sit beside it to put the water tub on. If you buy a new tub from walmart with a lid you can cut a hole in the lid to put the pvc through for the pump and then use a hot glue gun to put aquarium pants and rocks on it to decorate so it is not just a tub of water sitting there and it will not evaporate as quickly.

        • Dawn says

          That’s a great idea. I was trying to figure out a way to: hide the tub of water, and discourage mosquitoes from using the water in the tub as a breeding ground. Are you a crafty person? If so, can you please post directions?

          • Debby Pratt says

            Mosquitoes cannot breed in moving water. The pump will keep the water moving enough so that won’t be a problem. I would encourage anyone who wants a birdbath to find a way to keep the water ‘fresh’ even if it means refilling it to overflowing twice a day! Birds find moving water more attractive anyway. I was thinking maybe bamboo would make a more attractive ‘piping’ than PVC. I can’t imagine it would be any more difficult to drill through. Many garden centers carry bamboo poles. Just a thought!

          • KY painter says

            Have a small fountain in Kentucky with a pump, but it still gets mosquito larvae, even though the water is running. I check it and change the water frequently.

  63. Beth says

    Love it! If you promise hummingbirds will come to this lovely pond, I’ll build one right away! 🙂

  64. Dawn Grabowski says

    Love it! Hope to try and build one for our humming birds. May even get a few of our small birds to use it. They don’t like the deeper bird bath.

    • Kay says

      You can put a layer of pebbles in the deeper birdbath to make it more shallow. By having different water depths you’ll attract different birds and even bees and butterflies.

    • Lee says

      get some big river rocks from walmart or Home depot, wash them good in a tub as they are covered in dust and dirt, then put them in the bottom of your bird bath and up one side some to make it more shallow on one side, even small birds have a problem with a deep bird bath and can actually drown, this will solve that problem

    • Linda says

      Understand about raccoons I fight the destruction of squirrels all summer. They distroy flowers, planters and vegetable garden all summer long. I have seen them in my bird bath so I imagine they would destroy this beautiful watering system.

      • Neta Mullins says

        i live in VA, we humane trap troublesome animals and relocate them to area where can be less destructive!

  67. Jenny says

    Those hummingbirds are so cute! What a great idea. I don’t have anywhere to put one of those, but it’s so fun looking!

    • Beth says

      I love watching the video of them too! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment Jenny. 🙂

      • Patricia Yearick says

        shared this with my father and he was wondering what area you live in as we live in Pennsylvania and don’t believe we would see many if any ?

        • George W Roney says

          I am in Northwest Pa in Venango county and we have a steady supply of visiting hummers.

        • Beth says

          While there is no guarantee that this birdbath will attract hummingbirds, I think you’d find many different birds enjoying it!

          • Ben martinez says

            Secret to attracting humming birds is lots of blooming flowers. Got better results than with feeders.

        • John Newman says

          Ben is right. Here in Canada, north of Toronto, we get lots of Hummingbirds. But as Beth said even without Hummingbirds you would have a sight to behold! I have a small one at my house in Toronto and it’s not fancy (I wash it out with the hose everyday, it’s basically a big bowl upon a stand. Still wonderful to watch!)

      • Terry Hunter says

        almost finished w/this project…I used a real fish tank below the table …just have to do my pvc assembly and it’ll up and running…fabulous Idea…thanks for sharing! Peace, Redbird

      • Neta Mullins says

        if play with, can make a nice dual water feature from the idea, we put under the rhodendroin bus in front flower bed close to feeders.. that way is in shady spot so water wont heat up so much in summer sun. and protected from larger birds/predators as well. Could use a smaller pan too. which by the way make your holes smaller than the instructs and a smaller aquarium pump would work fine. without shooting the water too far.

      • George says

        Thanks for the great idea! I modified your design slightly, using a lidded home depot bucket as the water source with pump and a drain using pvc pipe and elbows to return the water to the bucket, some 2×4’s (which I stained) to build the frame on top of which I put the tray, fountain with rocks and plants. Works great, though there is some evaporation and I have to add water to the bucket occasionally. However, no hummingbirds (or any other kind of birds) have ventured into the water as yet. We have a hummingbird feeder nearby which is quite active. Not sure why no birds have “discovered’ it yet.

        • Beth says

          Sounds like a great modification! Consider posting a picture of your bird bath on Amazing Bird Stuff’s facebook page. This is her original idea, and I’m sure she’d love to see what others’ have made from her plans.

    • Nadine Schuh says

      You could HANG it — like a flower pot holder. And instead of the PVC pipe just use plastic tubing. You can get that at a pet shop.

    • Bill says

      It doesn’t have to be that big. You can build a smaller one on the top of a 5 gallon bucket. Also, they make small solar birdbath pumps for cheap.

      • Mary Ann Chastain says

        I like your idea. You could use a large pizza pan for the top part. A flexible tubing could go around the edge, or a little sprinkler head coming up right in the middle. It would take up much less space than the original, and the water container is covered by the pan. Got to try this.

        • Andi C says

          I think your idea would be great! The base could be hidden by surrounding it with flowering plants! I think I would use a 5 gallon bucket and put that inside a wooden barrel I’ve been saving to use in the garden. A large round ceramic serving dish would work for the bath too, and the drain hole would be harder to drill, but it would look much nicer I think. Could just use a plastic one instead. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing – great ideas! 🙂

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