How to Make Bird Feeders

Making a bird feeder is fun and easy, especially for kids. Here are three simple bird feeders that you and your children can enjoy putting together and hanging outside the window for some close-up time with the backyard birds.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Orange peel
• Large pinecone
• Creamy peanut butter
• Birdseeds
• Acrylic paint and paintbrush
• Plastic dish
• Pastry brush
• String

1. Decide where you want to hang the bird feeders. They will be great just outside the window so that you can observe the birds up close. Be sure they are about 6 feet away from where a squirrel or cat can jump from; the squirrel will steal the seeds and the cat will go after the birds.

2. Install the feeder hangers or hooks beforehand so that when your feeders are ready, you won't have to worry about how to hang them.

3. 
   Make a pinecone bird feeder.

   Make a pinecone bird feeder. Choose a large open pinecone and tie a hanging string close to the stem end so that the pinecone is pointing straight down. Using a pastry brush, smear the entire pinecone with creamy peanut butter. Reach into the crevices. Grab handfuls of birdseed and gently sprinkle them onto the pinecone. Turn the pinecone while sprinkling so that it becomes completely covered with seeds.

4. 
   Make an orange peel bird feeder.

   Make an orange peel feeder. Peel an orange in a circular motion; make sure the peel is one long strand. Tie a hanging string to one end. Brush creamy peanut butter all over the orange peel and dip the strand in a dish of birdseeds until it's completely covered.

5. 
   Paint an unfinished wood bird feeder.

   Make a "paint-it-yourself" unfinished wood bird feeder. Purchase a birdfeeder project from a crafts store. Paint it with your favorite acrylic colors and let it dry overnight. Fill it with birdseeds.

6. 
   Hang the bird feeders by the window.

   Hang your birdfeeders by the window and watch your backyard birds enjoy the treat you've prepared for them.

Tips & Warnings

• Make several pinecone and orange peel feeders. Place the extra ones in plastic bags and store them in the freezer. Replace the feeders when the birds have eaten all the seeds or if rain washes them away. Pinecones can be reused.
• Try making suet feeders by using lard instead of peanut butter. Roll a block of suet in birdseed, wrap with netting and hang.

Resources

• Bird FeederCam: Live from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, NY
• Michaels: Unfinished Wood Birdhouses and Birdfeeders

[Pixie1976]

on 8/25/2008 Oh this is a great idea, I'm going to try it.