A fun craft for kids or adults alike it a homemade bird feeder. Birds can be a joy to watch, and can be very useful in your yard, helping to control the insect population, etc. The following are some simple instructions for how to make a homemade bird feeder to adorn your yard:
Pinecone feeder:
This is the most basic bird feeder, and will be great for just about any yard as it can blend into the natural décor of the yard itself.
What you will need:
- Pinecone: Choose a fairly good sized pinecone, and the kind that are hard, as they will work better, and lend a better place for a bird’s feet get purchase.
- Peanut butter or honey: Peanut butter tends to stick well, but birds tend to like the honey better, so either use what you have, or determine how many birds you want, and choose accordingly.
- Bird seed: Get a mix of birdseed or make your own mix, which means it will be more likely to appeal to the specific birds of your region and not be filled with the filler seeds that birds don’t particularly care for.
- String, twine, wire: Anything will do, but you want it to be able to withstand the rigors the outdoors.
Instructions for the project:
So, your first step is to select your pinecone, then take the twice, string, or wire, and wrap it around the central piece near the top to create a loop that can hung over a tree, or nail, etc. Once the loop is secure, you are going to take your pinecone and coat it with honey or peanut butter. Generally a butter knife works well as a coating tool. Next, take the bird seed and lay in out on a plate or in a pie tin, and then roll the pine coat in it to coat it with seed. Once finished, hang in your yard and let the birds find it.
Another simple make at home bird feeder idea is that of using an empty milk jug or carton to create a container with which to fill with bird seed and hang.
Empty milk cartons can be easily cut using a razor or exacto blade. You may want to cut out windows on all four sides, do this about half way up the carton, leaving the bottom untouched so it can hold the bird seed. Do your best to make the cuts even to allow a bird something to land on. Also, make sure the openings suit the size of the birds in your area. If they can’t get their head into it, they won’t be able to use your feeder. Once cut, you can fill the bottom with the bird seed of choice to lure the birds to your yard.
These are both simple, yet effective means of creating a bird feeder for your yard, and hopefully attracting plenty of beautiful birds for your viewing pleasure.