Birds living in the wild need protection and care. It is especially difficult for them during winter: when it is frosty outside, it is so difficult to find shelter and food.
That is why caring people try to feed our younger “brothers” as much as possible. One of the ways that will not only help birds, but also decorate your garden is a feeder made from scrap materials.
In this article we have collected several of the most affordable options - based on descriptions and photographs, using already unnecessary items (plastic bottles or old dishes), you can easily arrange a place where flocks of birds will gather.
Material selection
After assessing the resources you have to create a feeder, you can choose an idea you like. However, it is worth remembering that not only its appearance, but also practical characteristics such as stability depend on the configuration.
That is why a good feeder must meet the following requirements:
Wear resistance and durability. Preference should be given to wood or plastic, which can withstand weather conditions without getting wet from rain and snow, or collapsing under gusts of wind.
In addition, the birds themselves often cause damage to the feeder - in search of crumbs, their beaks and claws scratch and tear fragile materials.
Proper size. Remember that if you cut out a small feeder, for example, from tetrapack, then large birds will not be able to eat from it, and small ones will start fights for space and shake out the food on the ground.
No sharp edges, protruding nails, etc. Birds are very delicate creatures, their feather protection and the skin on their legs cannot prevent cuts from sharp objects, so make sure that your feeder is not dangerous for them, especially if it is made of glass, plastic or planks!
Location and installation
Choosing the right location is extremely important!
Having chosen the most suitable position from the point of view of landscape design, evaluate:
Accessibility for birds. Perhaps the feeder will be closed from them by thick branches, or, conversely, it will be too open, and then, in a strong wind, the birds simply will not be able to get close to it.
Difficulty for cats. These animals are excellent hunters, especially those who live in villages and holiday villages. They are stronger, faster and more dexterous than their domestic counterparts, and therefore, sneaking up to the feeder, they can cause great damage to the bird community.
Ideas for making your own feeder
There are a huge number of different types of feeders - it all depends on your imagination and available materials.
We will try to consider both the simplest and the most original ideas.
House made of wood or plywood
Despite the apparent complexity, such a structure can be assembled with unnecessary boards, pieces of wood, glazing beads, plywood and, of course, special glue or nails.
Note!
The base should be a heavy, flat board. To make the walls and roof, you may need a drawing, however, you can get by with an eye.
A wooden bird feeder, depending on how much attention you pay to it, can become not only a place for birds to feed, but also an elegant decoration for your garden.
Feeder made from plastic bottles
This type of feeder is very easy to make and is perfect if you decide to involve children in the creation process. You need to cut one or two holes in the bottle so that you can not only pour in the food, but also access it without difficulty.
Of course, you should try to ensure that the cut edges come out neat and not too sharp (in addition, it is advisable to cover them with tape).
If you are using a small bottle (1.5-2 liters), then you can do it in two ways: cut a square or rectangular hole in the bottle, or prefer a U-shape so that you can bend a piece of plastic and make a visor.
If you decide to use a large bottle (5-6 liters, in which drinking water is usually sold), you can make a large side cutout. This will not only provide more food, but also give the birds room to maneuver.
Note!
To prevent the wind from ruffling a light bottle, it is worth placing a stone or a piece of brick at the bottom. This also applies to the next type of feeder.
Bird feeder made of tetra pack
You can also use juice or wine boxes to make a bird feeder.
To do this, you should follow the same technology as in the previous case: mark the location of the cut, cut it in shape, glue tape (or adhesive tape) along the bottom side of the opening, then make holes for a strong rope in the upper part of the tetra pack. All that remains is to hang the feeder in the place you choose.
Shoe box feeder
The cardboard from which the shoebox is made cannot be considered a durable material, but it is quite resistant to moisture, and if it is frosty outside, such a feeder can hang until spring.
The technology for making the feeder, as in previous cases, is also very simple: make four to six holes for the rope, slits on the sides and put a weight on the bottom for stability.
Note!
Other options
The above options are extremely popular - such feeders can be found at any dacha. If you want to make a unique feeder with your own hands, you should take unusual materials, for example, old tableware: a cup and saucer.
In the autumn, you can cut out a product from a pumpkin or zucchini; in the winter, halves of an orange, peeled from the pulp, are suitable for this. These feeders will surprise your neighbors and will undoubtedly decorate your garden!
Photo of a DIY bird feeder
For birds, you need to have a few simple items and tools.
You can make a feeding trough with your children, but keep in mind that you need to watch every step, since during the construction process sharp things are used - scissors, knives, screwdrivers and even, sometimes, a saw.
There are many options for feeders - made from plywood, plastic bottles, tin cans or cardboard.
Here are the most interesting, popular and original ideas for creating a feeder:
Feeder made from scrap materials: toilet paper rolls
You will need:
1 toilet paper roll
Peanut butter
Small bowl
Plate
A couple of branches
Strong thread or fishing line
Knife (dull or plastic).
1. Connect two branches or sticks together using hot glue or string. You can skip this point if you make 4 holes in the sleeve (see below).
2. Make holes in the toilet paper roll so that you can thread two branches or sticks through them. It is better to make 2 holes: a little higher and 2 slightly lower (see image). This item is not required, because The sleeve can be put on differently.
3. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and use a plastic knife to spread the butter onto the surface of the cardboard toilet paper roll.
4. Sprinkle the food over the peanut butter sleeve.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 4 more bushings.
6. Tie a strong thread to the connected branches so that the structure can be hung.
7. Hang all the cardboard tubes on the branch structure, and then hang everything on the tree.
Feeder made from a plastic bottle. Option 1.
You will need:
Any plastic bottle
Ribbon, thread or fishing line
Awl or drill (for making holes in the bottle and plastic cap)
Bolt and nut
Stationery or simple knife (if necessary)
Deep plastic plate.
1. Prepare a plastic bottle. Remove the label from it, wash it well and dry it.
2. Make a hole in the middle of the lid and plastic plate.
3. Attach the lid to the plate using a bolt and nut.
4. Make a hole in the bottom of the bottle (bottom).
5. Make several holes on the side (4-5), near the neck of the bottle, so that the food can spill out when you turn the bottle over. Holes can be made with a stationery knife if the bottle is not too thick.
6. Take the ribbon, fold it in half, and tie the ends in a knot. Thread the ribbon through the hole at the bottom of the bottle.
Now you can pour food into the bottle, screw on the cap and turn it over. The ribbon will allow you to hang the feeder on a branch.
Bird feeder made from a plastic bottle. Option 2.
You will need:
Plastic bottle
Plastic container
Strong thread or fishing line
Screwdriver or nail
Knife (simple or stationery).
1. Remove the cap from the bottle and the cap from the container.
2. Place the bottle cap on the container cap (in the center) and trace with a pen, felt-tip pen or pencil.
3. Using a utility knife, cut a hole in the lid of the container. The hole can be made slightly smaller than the diameter of the bottle cap.
4. Make one hole along the edges of the container lid.
5. Make a hole in the center of the bottle cap. The hole should be large enough to allow bird food to spill out.
6. Place the cap on the bottle and then insert the bottle into the hole in the container cap.
7. Tie a strong thread to the bottle and put the cap on the container.
Now you can pour food into the bottle or pour water and hang the feeder on a tree.
How to make a feeder from a box (photo instructions)
Original polymer clay feeder
You will need:
Polymer clay
Rope
Thick wire or piece of aluminum
Baking bowl or any other utensil that can be placed in the oven
A small piece of fabric.
1. First roll out the clay on a flat surface until it is about 6mm thick.
2. Carefully place the rolled out clay inside the baking bowl. Trim off any excess pieces so that the clay lies flat. Make 3 large holes in the clay for the rope.
3. Place the bowl of clay in the oven. Read the clay instructions carefully to know how long it takes for the clay to harden in the oven.
4. When the clay has hardened, carefully remove it from the bowl, tie three pieces of rope to it - tie a knot at one end of each rope, and insert the other end into the hole of the clay plate.
5. Tie all ends of the rope and secure them with wire.
6. It is advisable to place a small piece of fabric inside the plate so that the birds do not accidentally peck the clay along with the food.
Original do-it-yourself pumpkin feeder
You will need:
Small pumpkin
Wooden crossbars (even branches can be used)
Thin wire.
1. You need to cut off the top of the pumpkin.
2. Using a knife or screwdriver, make 4 holes in the pumpkin to insert branches or wooden slats into. Make 2 opposite holes at the same height and two other opposite ones slightly lower - this way you will have one branch slightly higher than the other.
3. Take a thin wire and wrap it around each end of the branches so that the feeder can be hung on the tree. Connect all the ends of the wire so that the feeder can hang evenly. Twist them into a hook.
Original DIY bird feeder idea
This feeder is suitable for sub-zero temperatures.
You will need:
Large plastic bottle
Small plastic bottle or small plastic container
Scissors
Coniferous branches
Berries (optional)
Seeds
1. Cut off the bottom of a large and small plastic bottle. First you can make a hole with a knife and then cut with scissors. You will have the base of the feeder.
2. Place spruce branches, berries and seeds in a circle in the cut-out bottom of a large bottle.
3. Place the bottom of a small bottle or small plastic container in the center of the base.
4. Pour earth, sand or pebbles into a small container.
5. Tie strong threads or fishing line to the feeder so it can be hung.
6. If you put the feeder in the freezer overnight, and then take out and remove the plastic parts, you will get an ice feeder.
How to make a feeder with your own hands using a bottle
You will need:
Small glass or plastic bottle (preferably with a cap)
Small saucer or bottom of a plastic bottle
Wire
Saw (if necessary)
Screw half ring (hook).
1. Using screws, connect two small pieces of plywood. In this example, the dimensions of the plywood are 11 x 15 cm and 31 x 15 cm.
2. Using the bottle that you will later attach to the stand, mark the places where you will need to attach two pieces of wire - one at the neck, the other at the bottom of the bottle.
3. The neck of the bottle should be approximately 3-4 cm above the base.
4. Drill holes for the wire, insert your wire through the bottom, wrap it around the bottle and secure it to the back of the plywood (you can twist the wire or secure it with a stapler).
5. Fill the bottle with seeds, screw the lid on so as not to spill the seeds, turn it over and insert the bottle between the wires, place a saucer under it and remove the lid.
6. Screw a half-ring screw into the top of the plywood to hang the feeder.
Original DIY bird feeder
You will need:
Tin can (preferably with a lid)
Sisal rope (sisal rope) or thick rope
A piece of thin plywood, a branch, or any small metal piece
Hot glue.
1. If you have a jar with a lid, then the lid needs to be bent in half.
2. Take a small branch, piece of plywood, or other small piece that birds can perch on and glue it to the jar.
3. Insert the bent lid as shown in the image (slightly inside the jar and over the metal part) and secure it with glue.
4. Take a thick rope or rope about 80 cm long and start wrapping the can so that the long ends of this rope (30 cm) remain at the beginning and at the end. Use glue to secure the rope to the can.
5. Cut the rope, tie the ends in a knot and secure with glue.
You will need:
3/4 cup birdseed
1/4 cup water
1 packet of gelatin
Twine or strong thread
Cookie pans
Baking paper.
1. Mix gelatin with water (1/4 cup) and bring to a boil, stirring. Make sure the gelatin is completely dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Add 3/4 cup birdseed. You can add more if it fits.
4. Place the cookie cutters on baking paper and fill them with the resulting food mixture.
5. Cut a piece of thread and tie its ends into a knot. Partially insert the thread into the mixture.
6. Leave the mixture to dry overnight, making sure to turn it occasionally when you have time.
7. Remove the molds and hang the food on the tree.
How to make your own bird feeder using tin cans
You will need:
3 cans of paint or cans
A piece of branch or wooden stick
Hot glue
Paints (if desired).
You can paint the jars, or you can leave them as is.
1. Glue a piece of branch to a jar for the birds to land and eat.
2. Wrap strong thread or ribbon around the jar and tie the ends in a knot. You can secure the tape with glue so that it sticks better to the jar.
3. Fill the jars with food and you're done!
How to make a bird feeder from a plastic bottle
Bird feeders in winter help save birds from hunger. However, this is not the only reason why it is worth making them.
The beautiful and original feeders themselves can become a unique decoration for your garden.
And the process of their creation instills in the younger generation a sense of responsibility and care for weak creatures.
In addition, this is invaluable time, which allows parents to spend time with their children with interest and benefit.
Wooden bird feeders
There are several types of feeders that can be made from wood. Firstly, these are feeders that look like a base made of plywood or other similar material with sides around the edges that prevent treats for birds from falling apart.
Most often, such a structure is suspended from a tree branch on thick ropes.
But such a feeder has a number of disadvantages. The most obvious thing is that this design does not in any way protect the food poured into it from precipitation and bad weather. It is also quite light and can move or tip over in the wind.
The second version of wooden feeders looks more like a house and has a roof. In such feeders, the food is reliably protected from bad weather. The base of the structure looks the same as in the first version, only there are supports on it that support the roof.
The roof can be either straight or pitched. Any child can make a straight roof, because essentially it is a rectangular piece of plywood, only slightly larger than the base.
A pitched roof has a slightly more complex design, but it is better in that, unlike a straight roof, snow does not accumulate on it and does not have to be cleaned periodically.
There are also original versions of feeders made of wood. For example, a feeder can be made from ordinary logs. To do this you will need a chainsaw, a chisel and a hammer, as well as a chain and rings for hanging.
To begin with, you need to saw off two round pieces of wood on both sides of the future feeder. Then a wedge is cut along the entire log, and longitudinal and transverse cuts are made, not reaching the bark by about 5 centimeters.
This is necessary so that later it will be easier to remove the middle from the workpiece with a chisel. After all the work is done, the previously cut round pieces are nailed on both sides of the feeder.
All that remains is to screw in the rings and attach a chain on which you can hang the feeder.
Feeders made from plastic bottles
Plastic bottles are also used as feeders to feed birds. These can be either 5-6 liter containers or small 1.5-2 liter bottles.
Most often, a plastic bottle is turned into a feeder by cutting out several windows in the body.
Then such feeders are hung horizontally or vertically, depending on the design. For the convenience of the birds, cross perches are installed near the bottom of the feeder.
But sometimes you can find quite original feeders that provide automatic addition of feed. These are the so-called bunker feeders.
Such a feeder can consist of two wooden spoons inserted at an angle into through holes in the bottle. Thus, food from the bottle will gradually pour out onto the spoon.
A bunker feeder can be made from a 2-liter bottle. To do this, just cut the bottle in half, make round holes in the bottom, and turn the top over and place the neck down. The top can be covered with a lid or a disposable plate. You won’t need to add food to this feeder for a long time.
Useful materials for making bird feeders
The simplest feeder you can come up with is a garland of rowan, pine cone or berries. A treat for birds strung on a rope will decorate young trees in the garden. The only disadvantage of such a feeder is that as the food is eaten, the garland loses its appearance.
An interesting solution would be to make a feeder in the form of lumps of grain or seeds. Such decorations can be placed on benches, tables, or simply hung on trees in nets, in which tangerines are usually sold in stores.
They are based on fat or gelatin. The lard is melted and the main food is added to it. Then the finished substance is poured into molds (this can be baking molds or a regular balloon) and placed in a cold place to harden.
The same goes for dissolved gelatin mixed with grain.
If you have coconut shells lying around idle, then they can also be used to make a feeder.
As a result, such a design will be invisible on the tree. Juice or milk boxes are also suitable for making feeders. Their design itself will not differ much from simple feeders made from plastic bottles.
Photos of bird feeder ideas
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Making a bird feeder with your own hands is a fun and rewarding activity, especially if you have kids helping you. After all, surviving the winter cold is very difficult for our feathered friends. Sad statistics show that out of 10 birds, only 2 birds survive to see spring sunny days. And by placing an original bird feeder with your own hands in a public garden, park or on your own personal plot, you will save more than one bird’s life from hunger.
How to make a bird feeder with your own hands?
Arranging food station for birds in your garden or summer cottage, you kill two birds with one stone: you relieve birds from hunger in the winter and protect your harvest from numerous pests in the summer. Our feathered brothers are effective fighters against midges and other harmful insects. Birdies will delight you with cheerful chirping, loud trills or funny games and fuss around food, and all this is fascinating to watch.
By showing a little imagination and making an original bird feeder with your own hands from scrap materials, you will decorate your garden with an extraordinary accessory! So what do you need to have on hand to make your own bird feeder? Materials that can be used are empty cans, wine bottle caps, plastic cans and bottles, cuttings of branches, unnecessary pieces of plywood, roofing felt and boards, unused dishes (cups and saucers, mugs, teapots, decorative glass bottles), metal or nylon mesh and other household rubbish. For fastening and decoration, rope, fishing line, various chains, ribbons and nylon tapes, and wire will do.
Despite the variety of materials, all designs can be conditionally divided into four groups:
- Sturdy and durable birdhouse-like feeders made of wood.
- “Disposable” feeders made from cardboard boxes do not require any costs, but they will not last long.
- Easy to manufacture, designs made from plastic cans, cans or bottles.
- Feed suspended on threads.
What to use for feeding?
Experiencing a significant lack of food in the cold months, pichugas will eat everything you offer them with great pleasure. For complementary feeding, use any ground cereals: buckwheat, rice, oats, millet and millet - everything will be eaten. Grind any nuts and grains; add a little honey to the seeds of pumpkin, melon, watermelon, quinoa, thistle, hemp, sunflower, and quinoa.
At the titmouse feeder add small pieces of lard or chicken, boiled and finely chopped egg. Any dry berries and fruits will not be left without attention, especially viburnum and rowan bunches.
When setting up a dining room for birds, you must not forget to regularly fill the feeder with a nutrient mixture, since birds, getting used to feeding in one place, are ready to fly quite a long distance for food. And not finding food in the usual place, tired and hungry, they may die. Do not use rye bread, roasted nuts, cereals, grains and seeds, salty foods, citrus fruits, or fresh rolls for bait. Such products will harm birds.
When selecting material for making a feeder, you need consider a few points:
How to make a bird feeder accessible and safe?
Feeders need to be placed in open, easily visible areas, that is, in places accessible to birds. Bird feeding areas should not be provided in dense branches, highly windy areas, or in areas where cats can reach. Bird feeders, mounted on a tree trunk or branch, or on the walls of outbuildings at a height of about one and a half meters, are easily accessible to birds, it is convenient to add food to them and they are inaccessible to domestic predators.
Most of us think of a bird feeder as a small house or birdhouse. This form is an ideal solution for organizing poultry catering.
Whatever material you choose, the design must include:
Lightweight bird feeders made of plastic or cardboard can be easily weighed down by placing a piece of unnecessary linoleum or plywood on the bottom.
The most original bird feeders are grain ones
To make it you will need a mixture of raw grains, seeds, nuts and bread crumbs. We will make the base of the feeder with our own hands from thick cardboard and nylon thread, using scissors and a thick needle. Adhesive backing made from oatmeal, mixed with egg and honey, or from gelatin. Mix 2 tablespoons of oatmeal (not cereal), 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of honey, leave for 30-40 minutes. At this time, we cut out the base for the feeder from cardboard in the form of hearts, stars, and any other geometric shapes.
To attach the delicious treat to the branches, use a thick needle to thread a thread, lace, braid or ribbon through a hole in the cardboard blank. Apply the swollen adhesive mass to the base and roll it in the prepared grain mixture. Place in the refrigerator to harden and after a few hours the treat for the birds is ready!
With a gelatin base, the manufacturing process is even simpler. Mix the finished nutrient mixture with a warm gelatin solution and pour into silicone baking molds. Having inserted a loop for fastening on the branches, we send it to harden in the refrigerator.
An original solution for such feeding would be old dishes. We leave the food prepared in any way to harden in mugs or a teapot that has become unusable. We tie the fastening thread to the handle of the product. We hang treats on the trees and watch the birds feast.
Cardboard box feeder
How to make a feeder with your own hands from a candy box or parcel, milk or juice. Having placed the edges of three candy boxes inside each other in the form of a triangle, we glue or use tape, thread any lace or ribbon through the roof and fasten it to the tree. The feeder is ready. Designs made from bags of any drinks will last a little longer, since they have a laminated layer inside and outside, moisture-proof. Using a knife or scissors, cut out an entrance, a round or square hole in one of the sides, slightly above the bottom of the box. A rope is attached to the top for hanging on a tree. The feeder is ready in a few minutes.
Similarly, you can make a feeder with your own hands from plastic containers: bottles, canisters, cans.
It is easier to secure a plastic feeder with wire. And to protect the birds from injury, seal the entrance hole with tape or tape. With a little more time, you can make a basic bunker feeder from plastic bottles. To do this, two through holes are made in a one and a half or two liter bottle: the first at a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom and the second in the center of the container, perpendicular to the first. Two wooden spoons are inserted into these holes. Holes on the wide side of the spoons expand to release feed. It is convenient to pour food into the feeder through the neck of the bottle; under the weight of the grain mixture, the plastic feeder is not afraid of gusts of wind, the food remains dry and accessible to the birds for a long time.
Having insulated a one and a half or two liter container from the inside with yarn or sisal, you will know how to make a birdhouse from a bottle.
A little more time and skill will be required to make a bird feeder from plywood.
It can be with a gable or flat roof, open or with a bunker compartment. To make even the simplest feeder, like a birdhouse, you will need a drawing, which can be found on the Internet or calculate the design yourself. Tools needed: hammer, jigsaw, nails, glue, sandpaper. In addition to plywood, you will need a block.
Procedure
The plywood feeder is hung by a rope threaded under the roof or a hook screwed into the roof. The service life of such a structure will be extended if it is coat with varnish or oil paint.
Classic dining room made of wood
However, with a little imagination and ingenuity, you can create a real masterpiece!
The minimum tools you will need are: a hammer and nails, self-tapping screws and a screwdriver. Cutting boards can be combined with slabs or branches, preserving the tree bark; small twigs or straw will decorate the plywood roof of the feeder in an original way. The roof of a wooden feeder can be mounted either on four support posts or on two flat supports located opposite each other. In addition, a feeder with two supports can be two-level or bunker. And, having certain skills and appropriate equipment, the sides of the birdhouse dining room can be made of any shape.
Making a double-walled feeder does not require an exact drawing of the bird feeder and adherence to exact dimensions. But there is unlimited scope for creative thought.
The assembly of the structure occurs in the same sequence as the plywood feeder. The bottom is fastened to the supports, then the sides and the roof. Since the bird feeder made of wood is quite heavy and durable, it can be installed either on a support pole or by hanging it from a wire or rope on tree branches.
For the convenience of small birds, titmice and sparrows, thin branches-perches can be attached parallel to the sides. And by cutting out round “windows” in the walls and threading a knitting needle or metal pin through them, it becomes possible to diversify the birds’ table with apples, pieces of pumpkin or lard.
The ideal solution for “remote” food points, especially near birdhouses, is dispenser installed inside a double-walled structure. One of the bunker options is with glass or plastic sides. On the inside of the walls, vertical grooves are cut, not reaching the bottom by about a centimeter, into which side panels made of glass or plastic are inserted. The food will spill out through the gap as the birds eat it.
A feeder that is easier to make, in which a plastic bottle serves as a hopper. Cut off at both ends, it is hung with wire in the center of the feeder a couple of centimeters above the bottom. To make it easier to fill the hopper with nutrient mixture, the lid of the feeder is removable.
Without the opportunity to frequently replenish provisions in the feeder, a filled bunker will well preserve bird treats and allow the birds to remain full for a long time.
By placing a birdhouse made with your own hands from scrap materials next to the dining room, you will provide for tits and other small birds both housing and food.
Whatever idea you choose for making a feeder with your own hands, the birds will certainly thank you! Having tried your hand at making a feeder, you can also make a birdhouse with your own hands from scrap materials.
Bird feeders
