9 DIY Hummingbird Water Fountains That Will Keep Them Clean & Hydrated

Hummingbirds are some of the smallest birds in the world, making it very special when you spot one fluttering around your garden. Luckily, there are ways to make their presence much more common near your home. Planting certain perennial flowers or adding a hummingbird feeder to your garden are great ways to attract these birds, but when trying to help hummingbirds, it's also important to have a source of water. These nine DIY hummingbird water fountains will provide great inspiration for adding a refreshing spot to your garden.

Water fountains are important for birds, no matter the season. In the summer, these water sources are a great way for birds to cool off from the heat and take a sip of water. These sources of water are also great in the winter when many other water sources are frozen. It's important to properly maintain your water fountain throughout the year to make sure you aren't helping spread disease from bird to bird. Clean your bath with nine parts water and one part vinegar. Fill the water every couple of days or when you notice it starting to lower, and use a fountain, rather than a bath, to keep mosquitos away. During the winter, consider adding a heater to make sure the water doesn't freeze. With all this in mind, let's get crafty for the sake of our feathered friends.

Visit the thrift store to create a hummingbird water fountain like this one. Look for a large decorative bowl and a hollow garden statue. Using a Dremel tool, drill a hole into the top of the statue. Then, find a small plastic take-out container and drill a hole in the bottom. Take a solar panel pump (which can be found for around $10 at Walmart) and attach a plastic straw. Thread the straw through the container and then through the statue. Place the pump in the bowl, fill it with water, and watch hummingbirds enjoy this cute fountain!

This hummingbird water fountain reuses those leftover K-cups. Take a $1 plastic shoe box, a solar panel pump, a straw, and a leftover K-cup to create this design that hummingbirds love. Use a soldering iron or a drill bit to add a large hole and many small holes to the lid of the box. Attach a straw to the pump and glue a K-cup with a hole in its bottom on top of the straw. Place inside the plastic box and add some water. Be patient, and before long, you will watch as the birds play in the bubbler fountain!

If you have an unused pet drinking fountain that your picky dog or cat turns their nose up at, set it up for hummingbirds in your garden instead! Don't worry about using the filters included. Before setting outside, add a little hot glue around the top of the fountain to give the birds a place to stand. Also, make sure your fountain is cordless or has a USB plug so you can connect it to a power bank. Protect the power bank from the elements by putting it inside a plastic bag or pencil box.

Rocks are great for hummingbirds because they love to roll around to clean themselves. Find a deep plant saucer or a bowl and place a solar power pump in the center. Add your water. Then, take some rocks and arrange them around the pump so that the water falls on top of the stones. The sound of the water will attract the birds, so pay attention to how it sounds. When you're happy with the look, let it be. You can always rearrange this hummingbird fountain later.

This water fountain can hang up anywhere – perfect if you want it out of the reach of pets. Take a solar disk pump and create four holes in the plastic sides. Add skewers cut to the size of your bowl. Then, add a straw with a homemade perch to the top of the pump. Place the bowl in the hanger and add a topper made of a packing envelope. Be warned: This fountain may become so popular that other birds may take a bath there, too!

A trash can from the dollar store, a plastic plate, a solar panel pump, and a soda bottle can create the perfect oasis for feathered friends. Simply create a hole in the side and top of the soda bottle. Add the pump to the trash can and weave the tubing to the top of the bottle. Put the pump and soda bottle in the trash can, add water to the can, and cover it with a plastic plate cut to the size of the bottle. The fountain is ready to join your garden!

Once you know the techniques for creating a DIY water fountain, you can get very creative with how the fountain looks. This DIY fountain uses a leftover ice cream container, chocolate syrup container, and kids' ice cream toy. The tubing goes from the caps opening through the back of the syrup container and into a hole in the ice cream container, where a solar water pump is attached. Holes are soldered into the ice cream container top to allow the water to drain back in. This creative project is sure to bring birds to your garden!

Use those leftover Legos to create a place for the birds to perch. Create a simple water fountain using the same technique as the K-cup bubbler, but this time, put a cup on upside down instead of using the K-cup. You can also use a smaller square container rather than the wider shoe box. Then, build a fort with space for the fountain in the center. Add any Lego decorations you want to bring your personality to this unique fountain. Or, let the kids join in on the fun and create different designs!

Repurpose that plastic chip-and-dip bowl or buy one from the dollar store to create this unique hummingbird water fountain. Using a drill or a soldering iron, add one hole to the center of the dip bowl and many small holes around the chip section. Connect the tubing from the solar power pump to the dip bowl hole and add the pump to a bucket of water. Place the chip-and-dip bowl on top of the bucket, and add some stones to the top of the fountain. This makes the perfect new place for your hummingbird friends!