Make a Bird Feeder
Do you want to attract birds to your garden? Read this to learn how to make a few different and easy bird feeders. With this tutorial, you can create a bird feeder from simple kitchen ingredients or household items. This will prove invaluable to hungry birds during the cold winter months and is a fun activity to do with children.
Contents
Steps
Making a Lard Feeder
- Poke a hole in the bottom of a yogurt pot and pull a string through it. This string should be long enough to dangle the feeder from whatever position you intend. Tie a knot in the string on the inside of the yogurt pot, such that the end of the string cannot then be pulled out.
- Melt the lard in a pan over low heat. Remove it from the heat once melted and stir in breadcrumbs and birdseed.
- Spoon the mixture into the yogurt pot and wait for it to cool down. When the mixture has gone hard, take the bird feeder outside and hang it in a tree.
Making a Tin Can Feeder
- Get an empty tin can. This can be as large as a coffee can or as small as a soup can.
- Use a can opener to be sure that both ends are removed.
- Trace the can onto cardboard. The thicker and sturdier the cardboard, the better.
- Cut out the circle.
- Remove the middle third of the circle. You should be left with two pieces of cardboard. They do not need to be perfect.
- Use hot glue to attach the cardboard to each end. Lay the can flat on its side, and glue the cardboard so that each end is covered on the bottom portion.
- Get a dowel rod. These are easily purchased at your local craft store for less than a dollar. It should preferably be longer than the can by at least 8" but it should be at least half the length of the can.
- Attach the dowel rod. Use hot glue to attach the dowel rod to the bottom of the can, such that a few inches of rod protrude from either end. This is where the bird will sit or land. If you could not find a single dowel rod that was long enough, use two.
- Paint the can, rod, and cardboard. Paint the whole structure however you want. This is a good opportunity to let kids use their creativity.
- Attach sturdy string. Take a long length of string and loop it through the can. This will be used to hang the can.
- Hang the can. Tie the string to a tree branch or other hanging surface.
- Fill with seed.
Making a Natural Feeder
- Buy a large pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin in half horizontally and remove the innards.
- Hang it from a tree. Using two lengths of very strong cord or braided twine, wrap one cord beneath the pumpkin in one direction and wrap the second beneath the pumpkin in the opposite direction (nestling both in a groove).
- Join the cords. Holding all four strings evenly, bring them together at least one foot above the edge of the pumpkin and tie them together.
- Hang the pumpkin. Hang the pumpkin by tying the strings to a tree or similar hanging point. Be sure that it is strong enough.
- Fill with seed.
Trying Other Bird Feeders
- Make Bird Feeders for Chidren's Crafts. These are a classic children's craft.
- Make a Bird Feeder House. This is another simple craft to do with children.
- Make a milk jug bird feeder. This is simple and yet slightly more durable than the above method.
- Build a Finch Bird Feeder Using TAP Plastic. This requires more skill and tools but creates a much more durable, functional product.
Tips
- When the bird-food has been eaten, repeat the whole process again.
- Find out what type of birdseed you want to use. Different birds like different types of birdseed.
- For instance, goldfinches like thistle seeds because their natural food is cone flowers. Chickadees have a preference for sunflower seeds.
- Find out what birds live in your area, because different birds eat different seeds.
