Make your own bird feeders

Birds need steady sources of food throughout the year to survive cold nights, migration, and harsh weather. This makes bird feeders of any kind perfect for birds! There are many options available for feeders both online and in stores. But sometimes, the best thing to do is to make your own.
Here are some simple feeders that can easily be made with household items!

Making a pine cone feeder.

Pine cone feeders

What you will need:

• string
• pinecones
• peanut butter
• bird seed (any type)

This feeder is simple and easy to make, costing very little, and easily reused or disposed of when done. Pine cones can be found outside near pine trees or often bought in craft stores.
Take a pine cone and gently brush off any lingering dirt.
Tie a string in a secure loop around the top of the pine cone, leaving enough to tie it to a tree or pole. Alternatively, use a pipe cleaner or twist tie.

A home-made bird feeder can attract many species, like this Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Photo by Phil Khaler.

Carefully spread a generous layer of peanut butter on the pine cone, making sure that the outside is well covered. Note: If you have peanut allergies to consider, try using Crisco.
Roll your pine cone in bird seed until it is well covered.
Using smaller seeds like millet, milo, and nyjer will ensure that everything sticks better, but mixed seed or black-oil sunflower seed will work too so long as they are well-attached.
Hang your feeder on a tree branch or pole not too close to your window and watch the birds enjoy their winter feast!
*Note: Squirrels love this kind of feeder so be sure to hang it somewhere it will be difficult for squirrels to reach like on thin branches several feet off the ground.

Bird seed cookies

These feeders are festive and easy to make.
What you will need:

• bird seed (any type)
• cookie cutters
• water
• flour
• corn syrup
• unflavored gelatin
• string
• skewer
• non-stick cooking spray

Spray your cookie cutters with non-stick spray to make the cookies easier to pop out.
In a large bowl, mix together: ¾ cup of flour, ½ cup of water, 3 tablespoons corn syrup, 2 ½ teaspoon gelatin, and 4 cups of desired bird seed. Stir until the bird seed is evenly distributed.
On a tray or sheet of wax paper, lay out your desired cookie cutters (sprayed with cooking spray). Fill the cookie cutters with the mixture and press into shape firmly. Make a small hole in each cookie with the skewer for the string.

Bird Seed Cookies. Photo by Heather Katsoulis.

Let the cookies dry overnight, turning them occasionally to dry both sides equally. When dry, carefully pop the cookies out of their molds and thread a string through the hole. Hang the ornaments from a tree, pole, or hook outside your windows and watch the birds devour them! (This recipe makes about 12 medium-sized ornaments)

Recycled feeders

We’ll let you in on a little secret: plastic containers make great bird feeders. Our friends at the Chebeague Island School have made bird feeders out of re-purposed yogurt containers to great success.

Chebeague Island School students with their feeders. Photo by Beverly Johnson.

It’s easy to make your own feeder using anything from a square milk container to a round yogurt container!
What you will need:

• medium-sized plastic container (milk, yogurt, juice, etc.)
• scissors or box cutter
• single hole punch or skewer
• string
• thin wooden dowels or spoons

Wash out your desired container and let it dry completely. Then very carefully cut out several small holes along the sides near the bottom*. Make sure they are large enough for a bird’s head to fit inside but small enough that a bird will not be able to climb inside.
*If you are using a square container, you can cut one large opening in the side so that birds may perch and feed.

Recycled feeders on display! Photo by Beverly Johnson.

Punch two small holes about the size of your dowels on opposite side of your container just below the openings you have cut. Insert the dowels into these holes so that the ends of the wood stick out on both sides. These will serve as perches for the feeding birds.
Punch two holes at the top of your container and thread a string through in a large loop. Fill your new feeder with desired birdseed and hang near your house. Be sure to hang it somewhere where birds will have space to perch.