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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 1397084" data-attributes="member: 12449">Though I am sure the birds are still appreciative of water, if you're struggling to keep water unfrozen, I would not worry so much if you have snow too - birds simply eat the snow to get the water (my dog does it too).In the more severe conditions out here, many winters see a total absence of open water for three-four months and birds do fine. And given the ice can approach a metre thick on occasion, it wouldn't be so easy to break it should I even desire.At temperatures well below freezing, there is also potential problems of keeping water open for birds - after wading/preening in the water, there are rare cases of ice forming on plumage, round legs, possibly leading to problems for the bird.Incidently, even when there is no snow and temperatures in the mega minuses, birds seem manage out here quite normally, can't imagine where they get their water intake from, but never noticed any increased mortality.</blockquote>