How to Make a Soda Bottle Bird Feeder

Building a soda bottle bird feeder is one of my favorite childhood crafts and I am excited to get to share it with the eHow community.

Making a soda bottle bird feeder is an incredibly simple process and with supervision from adults even the youngest children can take part. Use this craft to teach your children an appreciation for nature, animals and recycling.

You and your family will be amazed as beautiful birds come to visit and even wait in line for a bite from your homemade soda bottle bird feeder.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1-2 Liter Bottle (soda or water)
• Twine/Wire/Yarn
• 2 wooden spoons
• Craft Knife/ Razor Blade
• Funnel
• Bird Seed

1. Soda Bottle

   Choose your 1-2 Liter Bottles. There should be one for each person completing the craft. Remove outside wrapper and rinse thoroughly. Turn upside down to allow to dry.

2. Decorate

   Decorate your bottle to your desired taste. Decorations can range from no decoration at all to paintings and stickers. Let your children decide what the decoration/theme can be.

   Sample themes could be wilderness, specific colors, family, birds, etc.

3. Razor Blade

   Now, it is time to insert your wooden spoons. You will need to cut 4 holes in the plastic bottle with your craft knife or razor blade. This will be the job of the parent.

   Cut a small hole about 1/4 of the way up the bottle. This hole should be just big enough for the smallest part of the spoon to get through. Turn the bottle and cut a hole opposite about the size of a nickel.

   Repeat at about 1/2 of the way up the bottle. Make sure the nickel sized holes are on opposite sides of the bottle.

4. Wooden Spoons

   Now you will insert your wooden spoons. These will serve as branches for the birdies to sit on while they eat.

   Put the spoons in small side first through the nickel sized openings. It should look like the picture to the left from MakeandTakes. Click on the picture to see it larger.

5. Bird Seed

   Add the bird seed through the funnel until it is filled to the desired amount, probably almost to the top.

6. Hang from Tree Branch

   Put the cup back on the bottle and hang your soda bottle bird feeder from the best branch you can find.

   Optimal branches are within distance of a frequently used window. They are far enough away from ledges/fences that a cat will not easily be able to get at it, but not so high that you can not add more bird seed.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to watch carefully and take pictures when you first see birds eating from your own homemade soda bottle bird feeder.

• If you are interested in a pre-made soda bottle bird feeder, see the resource section for links to products which screw onto the bottle. These are inexpensive and hardy, but do not replace the craft element of making your own bird feeder.

• If squirrels are a problem, you may want to pierce a hole in a pie tin and thread it so that it hangs over the bird feeder and makes it harder for squirrels to reach.

Resources

• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide
• DCI Soda Bottle Bird Feeder
• Audbon Soda Bottle Bird Feeder