Chelle, I was just watching the birds at our freshly renewed feeders today and noticed a chickadee snap up some snow from the eaves in its beak, and then thought of your article. Do you know whether fresh water is actually better for them than melted snow?

Of course, there is no snow here most of the winter--there was none until yesterday evening--so they'd appreciate a heated dog bowl I think, but I was curious since you do have plenty of snow.

From what I've read and from what I've noticed in nature, unfrozen water is necessary for the continued health and well-being of birds and mammals. Just the other day in fact, a light bulb clicked on in my brain regarding the deer and wild turkeys' habit of staying in just one area during trying (deep-winter) times. I'm nearly 100% sure that it's because they're near a stream that comes up from underground so that it never completely freezes. There has to be more scattered corn to feed on in other areas, but when the lakes are frozen solid they can always be found at the back of this one field where the creek runs.

If the snow is melted into the form of water, it's just cold water. I think they can wet their whistles by melting a bit of snow in their mouths, but I doubt it's enough in the long haul.

I've melted clean new snow in the heated bowl in a pinch, and it's worked out just fine.