Watching backyard birds is a fun and interesting hobby. Attracting wild birds to your property is easy with the right foods and feeding stations. You can create very simple birdfeeders with ordinary items you would normally throw away. These unique birdfeeders will attract large flocks of feathered friends to your property every season of the year. The best part of all is they take very little effort to build, and the cost is minimal.
To make the first feeder you will need a large empty bleach bottle including the cap, a craft knife, sandpaper, a hammer, a nail, and twine. Begin by rinsing the bleach bottle and cap thoroughly. Make a hole in the cap of the bottle using a nail and hammer. Tap the nail gently so the cap doesn’t shatter.
Next you will need to cut openings in the bottle. Use a craft knife to create four doorways approximately 3 inches by 3 inches in diameter. Draw the outlines with a marker to make them evenly spaced if necessary. Make sure there’s a 2 or 3 inch rim around the base of the bottle to contain the seed. Sand the sharp edges of the openings to make them safe for guests.
Thread a long piece of heavy-duty twine through the top of the bottle cap, and tie a large knot to secure it. Screw the cap on, and tie the feeder to a tree branch or pole. Fill the feeder with seed of your choice. Don’t be surprised if it takes a few days to see guests at your feeder. Birds often scope out a new feeder for several days before dining there.
Another simple but unique birdfeeder can be made from an ordinary plastic 2-liter bottle. For this project you will require twine, a clear plastic 2-liter bottle including the cap, an aluminum or plastic pie pan, epoxy glue or any other strong waterproof glue, sandpaper, a craft knife, a nail, and a hammer.
Begin by thoroughly rinsing the plastic bottle. Next you will need to cut out an opening in the bottle that is approximately 4 inches tall by 4 inches wide. The opening should begin right above the thick plastic base of the bottle. Sand the edges of the opening to make them smooth.
The next step is to create a few drainage holes in the pie pan. Use a nail and hammer to make small holes that are equally spaced. They should be large enough to allow water to drain sufficiently, but small enough so the seed doesn’t fall out.
Now it’s time to glue the bottle to the pie pan. Use epoxy glue or any other type of glue that works well with plastic and metal. Put a moderate amount of glue on the underside of the bottle, and center it on the pan. Allow the glue to dry according to package directions.
Make a hole in the cap of the bottle using a nail and hammer. Tap the nail carefully so you don’t shatter the cap. Thread a long piece of twine through the top of the cap, and tie a large knot to secure it. Put the cap on, and fill the base of the feeder and the bottom of the bottle with seed of your choice. Hang it in a location where you can watch the action.
Next time you have stale doughnuts don’t throw them away. Make a simple doughnut feeder for the birds. For this easy project you will need a doughnut, twine, a hammer, a nail, and 2 plastic jar lids.
Find the center of each jar lid, and create a hole using a nail and hammer. Tap carefully so the lids don’t shatter or crack. Thread a 14-inch piece of twine through the top of the first lid, through the center of the doughnut, and out through the hole in the other lid. Tie a large knot beneath the lid on the bottom. Secure it to a tree branch or pole, and soon you’ll have guests dining at this innovative feeder.
