Solar Fountain for Bird Bath: Which Do We Love?

Few things bring as much joy to your home garden as the sights and sounds of colorful songbirds. A glimpse of a feathered friend darting through the early sunlight or perching on the post of your picket fence thrills nature enthusiasts and conservationists alike. Fortunately, you can do a lot to protect the great diversity of birds, and much of it has to do with your home garden. Planting native vegetation and avoiding toxic pesticides are great starts. To take things to the next level, consider adding a birdbath with a solar fountain. These can be purchased as complete sets or as a separate solar fountain for bird baths to add to your existing water feature.

Jump To Our Picks

What is a Solar Fountain for Bird Baths? Why Get One?

A solar fountain is a device that allows the water in a bird bath to be propelled by sunlight. By forcing a vertical jet of water or other water movement, the sun’s power provides an eco-friendly and energy-saving way to control insects and attract various species of birds. 

Moving water is both more attractive to birds and more attractive in terms of the garden’s aesthetics overall. So ditch the power cord, go green, and install a solar bird bath fountain in your yard today.

Top 5 Solar Fountains for Bird Baths: How We Chose

We scoured the web to bring you the best solar bird baths we could find. Below are some of the criteria we used in our search:

• Functionality: What does this product do, exactly? Does it include a fountain pump? A light? We wanted to be clear about performance here.
• Design: To make the list, we had to be sure it would look good in your garden. These elegant choices made the cut.
• Materials: Durability is important, particularly when it comes to mechanical parts and the stand on which the bowl of the birdbath sits.
• Fully Solar: Because nobody wants to have strings (or wires!) attached. The products here run on sunshine and sunshine alone.

Our Picks

All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author and DGHQ editors. However, Do Good HQ may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

1. Smart Solar Sunflower Glass Solar Birdbath

This beautiful solar birdbath from Smart Solar includes everything you need to transform your garden into a birder’s paradise. It’s free from wiring, so you can simply set it in a sunny spot and enjoy it.

Highlights

The bowl sits on top of a durable steel frame. The pump recirculates water via a hidden reservoir, shooting a vertical jet of water and sending ripples across the gorgeous, hand-painted glass bowl.

Things to Consider

Since this product is powered fully by sunlight, it requires a full-sun environment to work properly. It’s also recommended that the product is drained and stored indoors during the winter.

2. Louisa Ceramic Solar Birdbath

This beautiful ceramic birdbath is another wire-free, low-maintenance product with an internal reservoir. It is fully solar-powered, so there are no operating costs, and the blue cobalt finish makes it an eye-catching addition to your garden or patio.

Highlights

The pump has two modes: a vertical bubbler or a 360-degree jet spray. Each creates a unique ambient sound that will enhance the relaxing aura of your yard. 

Things to Consider

Like the other items on this list, it should be drained and stored indoors for winter. It is a very elegant piece, but it also costs more than other items on this list.

3. Smart Solar Hummingbird Birdbath

This wonderful product by Smart Solar features an interior hummingbird pattern, so those ruby-throated hummingbirds you’ve been on the lookout for will know your yard is avian-friendly.

Highlights

Handsome, reasonably priced, and easy to take apart for winter storage, smart solar has done it again. The integral solar panel and pump include a filter to keep the water clean, and the fountainhead has two operating modes.

Things to Consider

Other than the fact that it needs full sun to operate, there really aren’t many downsides to this product, provided you are careful with the glass bowl during storage and transit.

4. Smart Solar AquaNura LP Birdbath Pump

Convert any birdbath into a solar bird bath fountain with the AquaNura Birdbath Pump. The one-step installation takes mere seconds, making this a great low-cost way to make your yard more bird-friendly.

Highlights

This product is ideal for compact birdbaths. It includes two fountain heads so you can choose whether you prefer a controlled spray or bubbler setting.

Things to Consider

The pump requires full sunlight and must be fully submerged to operate. Otherwise, it’s a snap. Sit back and watch your garden evolve into a haven for all sorts of wild birds.

5. Next Best Option: Spring Hill Nurseries Iridescent Solar Birdbath

This is not a fountain but a bird bath with solar light, making it an option for those who want to enjoy their purchase at night. The solar light will illuminate the multicolored inside bowl, providing a soft glow in the darkness.

Highlights

This birdbath features an on/off switch to conserve the solar battery, but the light will also shut off automatically during times of low sun. The peacock pattern around the below is like a “welcome” sign for visiting birds.

Things to Consider

Although this product doesn’t actually produce a moving water current, it is a gorgeous addition to your garden or patio. It really shines at night, both literally and figuratively.

How to Choose the Best Solar Fountain for Bird Baths

A solar birdbath can be a beautiful addition to your yard. But it’s also all about the birds. 

Be sure to choose a product that operates only on solar power, as this makes for a green, planet-friendly product. A product that physically moves the water in the bowl is ideal because it keeps the water clean and free from pests. 

Birds of all kinds are attracted to water features, so adding one to your garden is a great way to provide them with the habitat they deserve.

Featured image via Home Depot