DIY bird feeders

Eating out has new meaning when you’re thinking of the birds. You can easily put together a cute bird feeder for your outdoor feathered friends, and make your house (or apartment) one of the most popular on the block -- at least with the birds! Check out these easy DIY bird feeder ideas.

One of the easiest bird feeders you can make requires only a large orange, some heavy string or twine, a thin wooden dowel and your bird food!

Supplies:

Instructions:

Carefully slice the orange in half with a sharp knife and scoop out all the fruit and pulp (save it for a snack for yourself).

Poke two holes into the orange about half an inch from the edge of the bowl, where the points should be linked by the twine.

Cut one piece of twine about a 18 inches long. Thread each string between the two holes in the orange.

DIY bird seeed

It's easy to make bird food from crumbs, grains and other food staples around
the home!

Add food to the orange peel and hang in a tree near your house!

Recycling your half-gallon milk or juice cartons to make a bird feeder is a cute idea from Disney Family Fun. You can add non-toxic paint to spruce things up for your specialty feeder, along with popsicle-stick shingles and a wooden dowel for seating!

Another simple bird feeder idea involves reusing a common item from your home. Many peanut butter “jars” are now made of plastic -- a good thing for a few reasons. One way to reuse your large empty peanut butter containers (or even plastic containers from other items -- think bulk-store purchases) is to turn them into a dining establishment for the birds.

Supplies:

You’ll need the empty and clean container (with the lid), heavy scissors, a long piece of heavy string or twine, a wooden dowel (about a foot long) and the bird food.

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry your plastic container. Peel off any labels and remove the adhesive.
2. Use one of the scissor blades to poke a hole in the top of the lid, just large enough to thread your heavy string through. Loop the string and tie the ends in a tight knot. You’ll hang the feeder at your desired spot with the string.
3. Use the scissors to cut out two holes across from the other in the middle of the jar. The hole should be about 3 inches in diameter.
4. Use one of the scissor blades to poke a hole just below each of the larger openings. This should be big enough to insert the dowel through.
5. Insert the dowel across the container, fill the container with food to just below the larger holes and hang.

It can be a visual adventure to watch the different birds that visit your bird feeder. To keep the birds coming back to your spot, keep the following tips from the National Audubon Society in mind:

• Provide birds with a variety of quality seed.
• Provide fresh water for drinking and bathing.
• Give the feeder ample cover, preferably provided by native plants. Native plants also provide potential nesting sites and a source of natural food.

More bird projects to try

Make homemade bird food
How to build a birdhouse
Fall gardening tips: Bring the birds to your yard