A bird feeder at your home is an opportunity to take things slowly like providing food during winter when birds are hungry, or simply watching as dozens of colorful songbirds flock around you every day.
With these little moments of peace come knowledge about nature’s creatures (what they eat, how many species there are out there), teaching us all that we need not harm them but rather care for one another like family members!
If you’re looking to make a DIY bird feeder for your backyard, here are some awesome ideas and tips on how to do so. The following are easy crafts that can be made with materials at home or even recycled items from around the house!
DIY Glass Shade Bird Feeder
This glass bird feeder is a quick and inexpensive project that will provide hours of entertainment watching the birds come to your garden. You’ll need glass shades from the dollar store or recycle center, a rope, and glue. So, why not give it a try today?
DIY Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder
This DIY bird feeder is an excellent way to spend some time outdoors, while also being a great opportunity for recycling materials. It only takes about ten minutes and the cost of supplies is very low. The design turned out fantastic!
DIY Upcycled Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder
You’ve got some animals that love to hang out at your house over the course of every season? You can put bird feeders up and keep them fed, but you could also make a simple little project like this one!
DIY Hanging Log Bird Feeder
A homemade bird feeder is a great way to add color and life to your backyard. With this DIY hanging log seed feeder, you’ll be able to attract many birds such as chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, house finches, goldfinches, or bluebirds with ease! In under 15 minutes (depending on the size of logs), it’s easy enough for anyone who wants some garden visitors in their yard!
DIY Bird Feeder Wreath
People used to feed birds with plain popcorn and cranberries on a string attached to a tree. Now, there’s an exciting twist! Instead of just tying the string around some branches, try this wreath instead!
DIY Bird Feeder from A Plant Saucer
You’ll never have to worry about your bird feeder tipping over again with the help of this genius idea. The seed catcher is made from a plant saucer and it’s perfect for catching any seeds that might fall through onto the ground. The birds are able to sit on the edge while eating without tipping over too!
DIY Tea Bottle Bird Feeder
If you’re looking for a fun and easy project to make on your own, or with the family this weekend, up-cycling is perfect. Those empty bottles can be transformed into bird feeders! This project is a great way to show your creativity while also helping out our environment.
DIY Hanging Vintage Teacups Bird Feeder
Have you ever wanted to turn an old, unwanted teacup into a bird feeder? It’s simple and easy with some chipped or cracked dishes. All sorts of birds will visit your new feeders for the fresh food!
DIY Macrame Orange Bird Feeder
This DIY bird feeder is a creative way to never let your garden go without life. The bowl to put seeds in is made of orange, which will impress friends and family! Then, with the use of 8 strings, you can create this simple macrame design!
DIY Milk Jug Bird Feeder
A milk jug, with the cap on and clean of course, can be turned into the perfect place for squirrels and birds to snack when they’re out in your neighborhood looking for some food! The best thing about this simple project is that it doesn’t require any expensive tools or materials.
DIY Paper Cup Bird Feeder
Homemade bird feeders are a fun weekend activity for the whole family. Making and decorating them is not as difficult as you might think, the mess stays outside too! And what better way to get closer with your feathered friends?
DIY Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder
This toilet paper roll bird feeder craft is a super fun way to bring life and color into your backyard this spring. Use old toilet paper rolls and string to create this whimsical bird feeder. The birds will have a blast dining on your crafty creation!
DIY Frisbee Bird Feeder
If you’re looking for a creative way to feed the birds, this DIY birdfeeder is what you need. Recycled from materials such as an old frisbee, it takes only 30 minutes before your bird feeder will be ready!
DIY Apple Bird Feeder
Previously, we had an orange bird feeder. Now let’s make a new apple bird feeder! Once the project is finished you can hang it in a tree outside of your window and watch all kinds of birds fly by!
DIY Wine Bottle Hummingbird Feeder
Who knew an empty wine bottle could be so useful! You could attract hummingbirds to your garden by making a bird feeder out of an old wine bottle. The best part about it, it can be a wonderful yard decoration too!
DIY Cardboard House Bird Feeder
This DIY bird feeder is inspired by the Hansel and Gratel Candy House. Made of cardboard, it’s very easy to make- but be sure not to leave on when raining or snowing. When dry weather returns you can place this back in its original spot!
DIY Upcycled Tin Can Bird Feeder
Don’t throw away those leftover metal food containers from the grocery store – instead make them into DIY birdfeeders. Just take some paint or markers, get as creative or simple as you want in designing it, and don’t forget to put holes on either side of the container so birds are able to reach their beaks through easily enough too.
DIY Standing Teacup Bird Feeder
Do you love vintage teacups? We have the perfect DIY project for your next crafting session! You won’t believe how easy it is to make this adorable bird feeder. The best part, it will only cost about $2-4 for each cup at a garage sale or second-hand store.
DIY Clay Flowerpot Bird Feeder
This DIY bird feeder project is a fun way to spend an afternoon crafting. You can use natural sources, recycled materials and re-purposed items like clay flowerpots and saucers for this easy craft!
DIY Milk Carton Bird Feeder
Birds are always hungry and it’s hard to find food this time of year, so why not use empty milk cartons as bird feeders? You can hang them in your yard or near a window. Just fill up the container with seeds for all those feathered friends!
Donut for The Birds
Are you looking for a fun and simple DIY project? Look no further than this acorn squash bird feeder! Just cut the squash, remove the seed from inside, spread some peanut butter on it to stick your cranberries in place. It’s that easy! Click on the instruction below for more details.
DIY Boho Macrame Bird Feeder
When people think of macrame, they often imagine a design that is charming and traditional. However, the simple knots in this project make it modern-chic enough for any home! The clay pot saucer will be perfect as your bird feeder’s base when you’re done with this DIY craft.
DIY Teacup and Saucer Bird Feeder
Create a beautiful feeder to hang in your garden! All you need are some glass and ceramic glue, string or chain, and a teacup and saucer from an old second-hand store. It’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and really durable if made correctly. The perfect gift idea for any gardener this holiday season!
DIY Recycled Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder
Don’t throw away those empty plastic bottles! You can turn them into cute bird feeders with your own personal flair. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll have an adorable backyard addition to enjoy without too much cost or fuss.
DIY Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder
Do you love ice cream? Or have kids who just can’t get enough of it either? Collect the popsicle sticks and make this cute DIY bird feeder from them! Other than being easy to put together, it’s a fun weekend project for your little ones too. Let’s get started!
Questions about Bird Feeder and Bird Feeding
Do we need to take care the bird feeder?
Absolutely! Regular cleaning is needed. If not, there is a sign to tell when it’s time to clean the bird feeder, a foul odor! This unpleasant smell comes from bird feces and moldy seeds. If not properly clean, these problems will attract unwanted creatures that might spread disease too like rats or mice.
How to clean the bird feeder properly?
First, Prepare a sink or a large basin filled with a solution of nine parts hot water and one part bleach. Wear rubber gloves to prevent unwanted contamination from bird feces, moldy seeds and other stuff.
Second, make sure to soak all parts of the feeder in the solution.
After a couple of minutes soaking, clean every part of the feeder using a stiff brush to scrap off the dirty things. The brush used in cleaning process depends on the feeder whether it has an easy to reach surface or it’s a tube-like feeder. You may use an old toothbrush or a regular bottle brush.
Third, rinse the feeder in clean water to remove the chemical residue (it can be done several times!). Then, let the feeder dry completely before placing it back and filling it with seeds.
What type of seeds used for feeding the birds?
One of the seed that we see in all DIY bird feeder above is Sunflower. The best sunflower seed for birds is the black oil sunflower. Other than that, you can also use stripped sunflower seed, safflower seed, Hulled sunflower seed, nyjer seed, Millet (also called white proso millet), cracked corn, and sorghum.
FAQs
25 DIY Bird Feeder Ideas to Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard? ›
Empty plastic soda bottles or gallon milk jug containers also make good DIY winter bird feeders. Tie some twine or string around the bottle, add perches—tree twigs, pencils, dowels, chopsticks, or wooden spoons—and insert birdseed into the receptacle and you're good to go.
How do you make a unique bird feeder? ›Empty plastic soda bottles or gallon milk jug containers also make good DIY winter bird feeders. Tie some twine or string around the bottle, add perches—tree twigs, pencils, dowels, chopsticks, or wooden spoons—and insert birdseed into the receptacle and you're good to go.
How to make a cheap homemade bird feeder? ›Skewer an empty plastic bottle with two wooden spoons and fill with birdseed for this super easy feeder. You'll need a utility blade like an X-Acto knife to cut the holes for the spoons. Be sure to cut larger holes by the mouths of the spoons so birdseed can spill out.
How to make a cheap bird bath? ›All you need is a tomato cage, wire cutters, outdoor-friendly paint and a terra cotta planter saucer. Simply cut the tomato cage to the desired height, and then place the terra cotta saucer into the top of the cage. You can prime, paint and seal the bird bath, if you wish, or stick with a more natural look.
How high off the ground should a bird feeder be? ›Pole-mounted feeders should be about five feet off the ground and protected by a cone-shaped baffle (at least 17 inches diameter) or similar obstacle below the feeder. Locate pole-mounted feeders at least 10 feet from the nearest shrub, tree, or other tall structure.
How do you make a simple bird feeder at home? ›Homemade Milk Bottle Bird Feeder
Save a milk bottle, wash it, and fill the bottom with birdseed. Make a hole for the bird, and don't forget to include a perch for the birds to rest on while they snack on their seed.
The tube shape allows the most flexibility for the type of feed, while also attracting the widest variety of birds to a single feeder. Sunflower-seed tube feeders are very popular and usually come with four to six perches.
What is the best material to make a bird feeder? ›Cedar wood is the best type of wood to use for a bird feeder. For this project, you'll be able to get all the materials, including cedar wood, vinyl-covered wire, a soda bottle, and copper top, from the home center and grocery store.
Can birds eat Cheerios? ›Birds can eat Cheerios and often love to do so. But that does not mean that they are the healthiest choice for birds (or even for us!). Their high sugar content and salt content mean that they are not the best option if you are looking for foods to share with the birds.
What is the cheapest way to feed the birds? ›For example, bluebirds love mealworms while cracked corn and peanuts can attract birds like sparrows, doves, cardinals and more. Cracked corn is available in large bags at your local feed store. Another inexpensive bird food is chicken scratch. A variety of small birds love it, and it's such a bargain.
How do you make an upcycled bird feeder? ›
Simply cut out equally sized “windows” in three sides of the carton, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space from the bottom of the carton. Then poke two holes at the top of the carton and feed in fishing wire or other sturdy string, so you can hang the feeder from a tree or porch.
What type of bird bath attracts the most birds? ›Water Movement: Moving water will attract more birds than stagnant water in a simple basin. A birdbath that includes a dripper, mister, water spray, bubbler, or fountain is a better choice to attract a wide range of bird species.
What do birds want in a bird bath? ›Birds need a dependable supply of fresh, clean water for drinking and bathing. Putting a birdbath in your yard may attract birds that don't eat seeds and wouldn't otherwise come to your feeders. (Other ways to attract birds are to supply a roost box and to provide nest material.)
What can I use instead of a bird bath? ›Serving bowl bird bath
If you have a plastic serving bowl around your kitchen, you can use this as an easy DIY bird bath for your garden. Fill it with water and leave it next to a tree branch where birds will be able to dip themselves whenever they want.
Bird feeders are best hung in a place where your visiting birds feel safe from predators. Most important: Avoid open and noisy areas and hang your bird feeders at eye level or a little above. Do not hang feeders too close to any place where squirrels can jump on them, or too low they are within a cat's reach.
What should you not feed birds? ›- Avocado. The leaves of the avocado plant contain persin, a fatty acid-like substance that kills fungus in the plant. ...
- Caffeine. ...
- Chocolate. ...
- Salt. ...
- Fat. ...
- Fruit pits and apple seeds. ...
- Onions and garlic. ...
- Xylitol.
One bird expert recommends putting feeders at places where you have concrete pavers below. Granted, you don't want it directly above your patio or outdoor kitchen/dining area, but you may want to place it at another location where it's paved and easy to clean.
How do you make a toilet roll bird feeder? ›Use a popsicle stick or butter knife to spread vegetable shortening on a clean toilet paper roll. Roll the toilet paper roll on a plate filled with birdseed. If desired, string a loop of hemp twine through the toilet paper roll. Hang the toilet paper roll bird feeder on a bush, or slide it onto a branch.
How do you make a bird feeder for seniors? ›Spread the peanut butter over the cardboard. Outline the perimeter of the cardboard letter with Cheerios. Then, sprinkle the birdseed over the peanut butter and pat it down with your fingers. Ask your loved one to loop the twine through the hole and hang.
How do you make a weather proof bird feeder? ›You only need two long wooden boards, nailed at a 90º angle and two triangular wood pieces are nailed at each end to hold the seed in. A couple pieces of ropes to act as slings on either end. Hang from the porch roof, just inside the roof edge to shelter the seed from the weather.
How do you make a squirrel proof bird feeder? ›
A wrap-around squirrel baffle is great for keeping squirrels away from bird feeders. By creating a conical, unstable separation between the pole and the bird feeder, wrap-around baffles deter squirrels from stealing bird seed. Torpedo baffles also keep squirrels away from bird feeders.
What liquid do you put in a bird feeder? ›Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved. Do not add red dye. Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside. Extra sugar water can be stored in a refrigerator.
What should you not put in a bird feeder? ›Choices such as honey, brown sugar, fruit juices, and artificial sweeteners do not provide the proper sugar concentration for hummingbird food, and they can produce mold that is deadly to the birds. Instead, always use a proper hummingbird nectar recipe.
Should you leave bird feeders out in the rain? ›Feeders that are on poles or stands should be placed under an awning, covered porch, or patio. Keep in mind that birds may have trouble finding your feeders if they're all the way under a shelter. Just be sure that the bulk of the feeder is in a spot where it will remain dry despite the rain.
Do birds use bird feeders in the rain? ›As for land birds, if the rain is not too heavy nor too cold, most birds will keep feeding.
What eats bird seed at night? ›Raccoons forage at night, so they'll miss the free lunch you're providing. Another equally simple solution is to bring your bird feeders in at night and put them back out the next morning. Either way, your birds won't miss out and you'll likely save on seed costs.
Does bird seed attract snakes? ›Birds are messy eaters and often leave seed scattered below the feeder. Seed on the ground attracts rodents, which may also attract snakes seeking a meal.
What is the least messy bird feeder? ›Use tray feeders or trays attached below certain feeders to keep debris from falling to the ground. Round trays are perfect to attach to seed tube feeders and rectangular trays suit hopper feeders best. And bigger is better because there's more area to catch falling seeds.
How do you make a raccoon proof bird feeder? ›Adding a steel raccoon baffle to your feeder pole is the most effective way to stop raccoons. Squirrel baffles won't do the job. Raccoon baffles are much larger, a full 10" in diameter and about 2 feet tall, preventing the crafty critters from reaching over or "hugging" their way over it.
How do you make a crow proof bird feeder? ›To create a spherical bird feeder, use two domed wire hanging baskets to surround it. To connect the two halves, use cable ties. Install on the table pole or the hanging cable to create a barrier around the feeder.
What bird feeder throws squirrels off? ›
Looking for a fun and entertaining way to feed birds, not squirrels? The Droll Yankees® Yankee Flipper® Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder combines superior durability and a weight-activated, motorized perch to provide humane squirrel defense.