Bird Feeders

Spring is coming and Birds are on their way back. Here are some type of bird feeders I have made before. They also can be filled with items for nesting.

All bird feeders should have the following:

• You can punch holes or drill holes in the items and hang or lay flat on an trash barrel, a tree stump, etc. 
• Make sure you make drainage holes at the bottom of the feeder. 
• Dump out any water that collects inside the container and wash out regularly.

Don't throw away your old plastic containers: Punch holes on the four corners, tie twin or fishing line through the holes, gather up top and tie together into a loop.  Fill with old cereal, bread, fruit, seeds, etc...

Soda or Milk bottles: Cut a hole in the sides of the container. Poke more holes in the conatiner so they can reach at different sites. Stick a twig through the container so the bird can stand on the twig while eating.  The Milk bottle you can make a big hole so they can enter the container to eat. Fill and hang.

String old cereal through yarn and tie to a tree. The birds can eat the cereal and then use the yarn for nesting.

Pine cones: Dip the pine cones into melted bacon fat or peanut butter and roll in the bird seed, cereal, dried bread crumbs. Tie a piece of yarn around the top and hang from a tree

Berry Creates: Tie yarn or fishing line to each of the four corners. Bring all four lines up and tie into a loop. Fill and hang outside.

Onion mesh bags:  Wash out with soap and water and dry. Place items into bag and tie up the bag with fishing line, yarn, rope, twine etc.  Hang outside.

Saw this on the internet thought it is something an teen or adult can do: Use a rectangle of old window = screening. Wear heavy cotton gloves and use needle-nosed pliers to crimp the loose wire edges back (so they won't poke the birds nor snag their feathers), fold it in half, run two string hangers through the corners on each side, and hanging it. Slide in a suet/birdseed cake from the grocery store, or make a "cake" of oatmeal, birdseed, and peanut butter. (Cardinals, Jays, Robins, = Sparrows)

Stale Bagels, English Muffins, Muffins, Donuts, Oranges, Apples:  Dip in melted shortening or peanut butter.  Roll in bird seed. Some can be hung or place in a flat container.

Baby food jar: Tie rope around the neck of the jar so you have 2 ends. Tie end onto tree limb or other item. Fill with Orange juice or Water.

Paper cup: Punch holes on 4 sides of the rim. Thread fishing line through and tie into a loop so you can hang it. Spread melted peanut butter on the outside of the cup and roll in the seed. Fill the inside with the seed also. 

Wooden shapes: Drill a small hole in each side of the heart. Thread with yarn. Spread melted peanut butter on both sides and dip into the seed. Hang outside.

You can also use: flowerpots, juice cans, Frisbees, ketchup bottles, old aluminum pans, etc

Nesting containers:  Small pieces of yarn, dryer lint, thread, pine needles, feathers, paper from a paper shredder. You can hang this in a onion bag or lay on the bottom of trees