Homemade Suet Bird Feeder
Millions of people enjoy feeding birds, and feeders come in many different shapes and sizes. Suet bird feeders are specially designed for birds that eat insects. Many insect-eaters don't eat seeds at all, though some species eat both. Suet consists of animal fat, and sometimes you can include seeds. Place a suet feeder in your yard and expect to attract woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, jays, and more. You can make many types of suet feeders, but one of the easiest can be made from a simple log.
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Things You'll Need
- Drill
- Log (9.5- to 10-inch circumference)
- Vise or woodworking bench
- Perches (3- to 4-inch dowels or twigs, approximately 1/4 inch in circumference)
- Wood glue
- Hammer
- Large screw hook
- Suet
Instructions
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Suet Holes
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1
Cut the log to approximately 16 to 18 inches long.
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2
Near one end of the log, drill a hole with a 1 and 1/4 inch circumference. Drill the hole all the way through from one surface of the log to the other (not from end to end).
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3
Turn the log.
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4
Drill a second 1 and 1/4-inch hole through the log, about an inch lower than the first hole.
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5
Do not turn the log, and drill a third 1 and 1/4-inch hole through the log about an inch lower than the second hole. This third hole should line up with the second hole.
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6
Drill the final hole after turning the log so that the last hole lines up with the first. This last hole will be about 1 inch above the bottom of the log.
Perches
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7
For the perches, drill 8 holes approximately 1/4 inch below each large hole (on both sides of the log). These smaller holes should be only 1 and 1/2 inches deep. Each large hole should have a smaller hole directly below it.
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8
Coat one end of each dowel or twig with wood glue.
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9
Insert each dowel/twig into a perch hole, and lightly hammer it in until tight.
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10
Screw in the hook at the top of the feeder in order to hang it.
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11
Fill each large hole with suet and hang the feeder from the desired location.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use a pencil/pen to draw the location of each hole you will be drilling. This will help keep things lined up and keep you from drilling them too close or too far apart.
Consider drilling a small hole all the way through the log near the top so you can thread a cord through the log for easier hanging.
Perches are optional. If you omit the perches, the feeder will be more specific to birds that can cling (like woodpeckers).
See the reference section for pictures of the finished feeder.
Don't use suet feeders in temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The suet will get rancid quickly.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit downy woodpecker, (picoides pubescens) image by Bruce MacQueen from Fotolia.com
