Speaking of birds...
Had I mentioned here before about our safe and toxic woods for pet bird perches and toys page at our website?
As for our yard, we have more birds, and nesting birds than ever before. When we moved in, we removed most of the trees as they all had disease or sunburn or were junk.
Now, after 4 years, there are many landing places.
Also, the birds not only like the bird bath, but they like our bubbling water rock 10 times more.
We have one of those drilled rocks, about 30 inches high, with a 400 gallon per hour pump (40 watts worth). Anyway, I put it on blocks in our pond, and filled it to the brim with washed pea gravel, then landscape fabric, then light color decorative gravel - copper tan quartzite. The rock has a bit of a flat spot on top, and the water is adjusted at about a 2" to 3" water spout.
Birds land on top and dip for long baths from the spouting water. And the side of the rock as a slight "lip" that makes a miniature waterfall where little birds land to take showers. They just stand on the gravel.
If you go to my site - Waterfeatures page - you will see my plant pot fountain. I'm thinking of adding a few more rocks in it so a few protrude out of the water so the birds will have a place to stand on there too.