9 Best Solar Powered Birdbath Fountains | Pros & Cons

If you are a bird lover like me, then you probably have a birdbath or two in your garden to ensure that any visiting birds have access to the water that they need. But, did you know that by simply adding a birdbath fountain you could attract and take pleasure from many more?

Yes, as strange as it may seem splashing sounds and moving water really can be attractive to passing birds, and with that in mind we have reviewed for you 9 of the best solar powered birdbath fountains.

Quick peek: 9 Best Solar Powered Birdbath Fountains

Benefits Of A Birdbath Fountain

There are two main benefits to having a fountain in your birdbath. These are that one, you will attract a greater number of bird species due to the splashing sounds and movement of water. And two, that the movement of water will help your birdbath to stay clean. It also does not hurt that the sights and sounds of a birdbath fountain are aesthetically pleasing to the human eye.

Choosing The Right Birdbath

There are five main elements that you should take into account when choosing the right birdbath for you. These are:

Comfort – First and foremost for birds to visit your birdbath they need to be comfortable there. For example, small taloned birds like narrow rims that they can easily land on, and all birds prefer a bumpy, hence non-slippy bottom to the basin.

Depth – Places birds would naturally bathe are usually shallow puddles of around 1 to 2 inches deep. Ideally, your birdbath will replicate that depth and have a sloped basin that allows birds easy access and exit.

Height – Believe it or not the height of your birdbath will affect the species of bird that visit it. Smaller birds, for example, usually prefer taller birdbaths that give them a wide field of view, whilst large birds prefer low to the ground. For the widest range of species possible, you should go for something around 2 to 3 feet high.

Style – The style of birdbath you choose has very little to do with the birds and more to do with what pleases you. There are many styles to choose from including single basins, tiered basins, cascading rocks into pools, and wall-mounted designs.

Aesthetics – Again, this consideration is what you find pleasing to the eye. You can choose from geometric shapes, natural accents, plain, embellished, and colorful designs.

9 Best Solar Powered Birdbath Fountains

9. Biling Solar Birdbath Fountain Pump

Our findings…

If, like me, you don’t have an infinite amount of patience for things to start working you will love the Biling Solar Birdbath.

I took it out of the box, put it into the pond, and ‘hey presto’ it was working. Perhaps unsurprising considering it has a built-in backup battery but to be honest I didn’t expect it to be holding any charge.

The spray this product produced at first was not very impressive. However, as the day wore on and more sunlight hit the solar panels it got better and better.

The appearance was aesthetically pleasing whilst still being gentle enough to attract the birds to bathe. I loved that I could change it up with the six, yes six, interchangeable nozzles.

On the downside, the pump on the Biling Solar Birdbath seemed to get clogged on a pretty regular basis. However, it is easy to disassemble and clean so it didn’t prove to be much of a problem.

8. Solatec Solar Fountain

Our findings…

Though I can’t quite put my finger on why; I was a little dubious about the build quality of the Solatec Solar Fountain when I removed it from the box. It felt a little lightweight, which could, of course, also be a good thing, and not quite sturdy enough.

Despite my reservations, the Solatec ran well, although not at full power all the time. It really does need to be in direct and bright sunlight to perform at its best.

At its peak, the spray reached an impressive 30 to 50 centimeters in height. It also came with four interchangeable nozzles that give different spray effects.

7. SP50 Twin Panel Solar Powered Fountain

Our findings…

The first thing to say about the SP50 Solar Pump is that it is not for the average garden birdbath. It is far too powerful, needs to be submerged completely underwater, and is bulky and heavy. It requires being used in a pond, waterfall, or large, and I mean a large fountain.

For the above reasons, I set this pump up to work in my 1300 gallon Koi pond with a fountain feature (not included) attached.

I was pleased to find setting this up was fairly easy and quick and that water was spraying within a few minutes of completion.

However, despite coming with two quite large solar panels this pump only worked in full and bright sunlight. Should a cloud roll in or even my dogs walk passed and blocked the sunlight this pump just stopped.

A shame for such a beast of a pump that worked so well in the sun not to come with a backup battery.

6. AISITIN Solar Fountain Pump

Our findings…

I genuinely do not have a bad word to say about the AISITIN Solar Fountain Pump, and that’s unusual as I am picky! It came quickly, was sturdy but lightweight, and worked within seconds of being in my birdbath.

The spray was not too high, not too low, not too strong, and certainly not too weak; I know I sound like Goldilocks, but what can I say? The AISITIN for me had it all.

If I had to pick a fault – nothing is perfect – I would say that the AISITIN can clog on occasion and will need cleaning on a regular basis. However, this is nothing of a job and perfectly acceptable when you take into account that this fountain runs not only in sunshine but also in shade for up to an incredible four hours.

5. Solar Water Fountain for Birdbath

Our findings…

This attractive and compact solar water fountain is ideal if you only have a small birdbath in your garden. It measures just 6.3 inches wide making it the smallest I reviewed. However, for a small product with just a 1.4W solar panel, it did a pretty impressive job.

Unlike the others I reviewed, this solar fountain did not work straight out of the box. Rather I had to wait about thirty minutes for any spray to appear. Once it did, however, in bright sunlight it was very strong, a little too strong in fact, and I had to change the nozzle for one that did not create as much force.

Overall, I would say that this solar fountain is ideal if you are looking for something ‘cheap and cheerful’ to brighten up a dull and small birdbath.

However, if you are looking for mega impressive and showy water features you probably should look elsewhere.

4. Sunjoyco Solar Water Pump

Our findings…

My first impressions on removing this unit from the box were that it was not very well made and far smaller than I had thought it would be. However, on checking it was the right size, 11 by 11 centimeters for the solar panel, it was just the picture on Amazon that had misled.

The pump itself on this unit needs to be completely covered by water and it does not have an auto cut off to stop it from drying out should it protrude. It does, nonetheless, work extremely efficiently, in fact, perhaps a little too much so.

The spray with this water fountain will escape a birdbath up to around 18 inches in size, and the nozzles provided are not conducive to lessening the flow.

3. ROADTEC Solar Fountain Pump

Our findings…

The Roadtec is a cute and fairly efficient solar fountain pump that is well suited to the smaller garden birdbath. It worked within seconds of being placed in the water; performed well in bright sunlight but didn’t create a powerful water jet.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say much more about this birdbath fountain without sounding too negative and that wouldn’t be fair. It isn’t particularly bad at its job overall in all fairness, but it isn’t particularly good either.

2. Lailme Solar Fountain

Our findings…

This particular birdbath fountain is new to the Lailme range for 2019 and is sure to stick around. I loved it, and would certainly use it in any of my birdbaths, ponds, and pools.

It is not the best that I tried, that prize has already been won, but it does come a close second and I would recommend it to anyone.

Working straight out of the box, the Lailme produced an incredible 20 inch plus height so long as it had 2 to 3 inches of water to float in.

It comes with a great backup battery that keeps it going during cloudy intervals and will shut itself off should the water level fall too low.

1. HEYSTOP 5.0W Solar Fountain Pump

Our findings…

With its 5 watts moveable solar panel, the HEYSTOP is exceptionally capable of doing the job you require it to all day long. This is also enhanced by the fact that it comes with a reliable battery back up that will kick in should the clouds appear.

It gives out a good fountain of water suitable for small to medium birdbaths and will automatically cut out if the water level drops too low.

The only downsides that I could find with the HEYSTOP were that the wires were ugly and the suction securing it didn’t work too well. It also clogged pretty quickly which wouldn’t have been an issue had it been easier to clean.

Types Of Birdbath Fountains

There are numerous types of birdbath fountains including solar, electric, battery, flowing, falling, splashing, streaming, spraying, vigorous, and gentle. However, the first choice you will need to make is whether you go for floating or submerged.

Floating

A floating birdbath fountain sits on top of the water and has its solar panels built-in. They are a great choice for simplicity of set up and aesthetically pleasing as they have no wires.

However, if they do not come with a way to hold them in place such as suction cups they can float around. This can cause water to spill out of the birdbath basin resulting in the water level becoming way too low.

Submerged

A submerged birdbath fountain will come with a positionable solar panel and pump that must be submerged fully. They are ideal for those gardens where the sun moves around requiring the solar panel to be placed in different positions and can be more easily fixed in place.

They do, however, have wiring that can be difficult to hide and can turn out to be a little too powerful.

Which Size And Power To Choose

As with anything that works in water, larger volumes of water need more power. However, for something that is as simple and usually small as a birdbath anywhere between 1.5 and 5 watts should be plenty sufficient.

You should, however, always ensure that the fountain will fit into your birdbath, especially when it comes to floating.

When Will A Solar Powered Fountain Work?

It is important to recognize that a solar-powered piece of equipment requires sunlight and not just daylight to work proficiently. Even those with battery back-up will only work for an extra 3 to 4 hours when the sun goes in, and none will work overnight.

We tested other fountains in our garden pond. Read the results here!

F.A.Q

• Do solar-powered fountains really work? Yes, but how well will depend on the weather. Bright sunny days produce the strongest flow, whilst on cloudy days the flow will be reduced.
• Do birdbaths need a fountain? No, however, birds will be attracted by moving water, and the water will stay cleaner.
• Do solar powered birdbath fountains work all year round? This will depend on the climate in which you live. Countries/places with plenty of sunshine all year long will have the greatest chance.
• How does the fountain work? By solar power which in simple terms involves the panel’s photovoltaic cells converting energy in the sunlight into electricity, specifically direct current.
• How long will one last? It’s difficult to say since individual models will be made to differing standards. However, on average a solar birdbath fountain will be capable of running from 10 to 20 thousand hours.
• How effective are solar-powered birdbaths on dull days? The chances are that your birdbath fountain will work to a lesser degree or maybe not at all.
• Are solar panels safe for birds to touch? Yes, although you don’t really want birds landing on them as it could damage the solar panel.
• Will a fountain scare the birds? It’s highly unlikely. Birds are attracted to the splashing sound of water and are more likely to love it than hate it.

Final Verdict: Best Solar Powered Birdbath Fountains

Without a shadow of a doubt, our favorite solar powered birdbath fountain has to be the AISITIN Solar Fountain Pump and for very good reason. It has the best built-in battery, still runs in very low light, and creates an impressive fountain size.

After looking at all the reviews on this product it’s clear it’s also liked by many buyers around the world. At this price, it has to be worth a go. We loved ours and still have it running in our shallow container pond. We have a little Robin that visits it all the time for a quick bath.

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