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DIY Bird Feeder Ideas. Original designs of bird feeders, made by yourself

We present to your attention several options for interesting bird feeders made by. It turns out that a feeder can be easily made from ordinary plastic bottles, all kinds of boxes, wood - if you wish. This article will try to awaken this desire in you, thanks to which many birds will be able to comfortably survive the winter.

First, let's look at the great variety of different feeders made from a variety of materials. This will help you decide on the look and choose the option that suits you.

from a plastic bottle and glass jar

After all, with the help of wood, you can give the feeder any look: you can build a mini-castle, you can put an ordinary “dining room” on stands, you can decorate the feeder with intricate carvings, etc. as far as your imagination allows and you can find the necessary building materials.

It’s very good when children are involved in making things - they immediately develop character traits such as caring for their neighbors, love for animals, responsibility, they show an interest in making things, creating something!

Whatever you make your feeder from, it is important to know the basic (and mandatory) elements of the feeder:

1. Your feeder must have a roof - this way the food will remain dry and will not be covered with snow, and it will be easy for the bird to enjoy your treat;
2. Be sure to make the opening of the feeder wide enough; the birds are very shy, especially afraid of confined spaces. What if several hungry flyers arrive at your “bird canteen” for lunch? It is important to take care of this option;
3. When choosing a material for a feeder, be guided by its strength and moisture resistance: the denser and more moisture-proof the source material, the longer your feeder will last;
4. The feeder very often turns out to be too light, so it reacts to every gust of wind, while grains and crumbs scatter and the birds remain hungry. To cope with this problem, you need to make the feeder a little heavier. To do this, place a piece of plywood or linoleum on its bottom (strictly according to the size of the bottom).

Now you will learn how you can make a similar feeder yourself from all kinds of grains.

This feeder looks great and at the same time does its job perfectly! Tree branches decorated with such “decorations” give your garden an aesthetic and exclusive look. So let's get started!

We will need:

All kinds of grains, crumbs, seeds - all raw, since fried ones will only harm the little flyers;
Egg;
Oatmeal;
Honey;
Gelatin;
Flour;
Pencil;
Thick cardboard;
Scissors;
Dense nylon thread.

1. Using a pencil and a regular sheet of paper, draw the shape of the future feeder. Hearts, stars, triangles, circles, squares - any geometric shapes - will look beautiful;
2. Cut out the paper blank with scissors and attach it to thick cardboard. Trace with a pencil and carefully cut along the contour;
3. Take care of preparing bird food in advance. Choose unroasted and unsalted grains, all kinds of bread crumbs;
4. Using a needle and thick nylon thread, make a hole in the cardboard base and thread the thread into it - with its help this “delicacy” will be attached to a tree branch;
5. To ensure that the grains and crumbs stick together and are properly attached to the cardboard base, start preparing natural glue:

2 tbsp. spoons of oatmeal (never oatmeal);
1 egg;
1 teaspoon of running honey;
Flour.

All ingredients are thoroughly mixed in a bowl and left for 30 minutes. for swelling.

6. Apply the prepared adhesive mass to the base;
7. In another container, thoroughly mix all our grains;
8. Dip and roll our “glue” coated base in the resulting crumb-grain mixture;
9. Ready-made grain feeders must be placed in the refrigerator for several hours - the mass must harden well and acquire the necessary strength;
10. Hang these delicious “treats” on the tree branches and watch from afar the feast of birds who have flown in to eat and eat!

Dissolve one sachet of gelatin in warm water;
Pour all kinds of grains into the still warm solution;

Place the molds and contents in the refrigerator to thicken;
Delicious toys are ready, you can safely hang them on tree branches!

Another “quick” option is to get a few old cups, or take ordinary plastic cups, fill to the top with the prepared mixture (on any basis suggested). After the mixture has thickened in the refrigerator, tie the feeder to a tree branch with a ribbon! The quick option is no worse!

An ordinary cardboard box can successfully serve as a bird canteen! However, it is advisable to select boxes covered with a special protective layer, laminate - this will significantly increase the service life of your feeder!

Juice boxes (they are coated with a special moisture-proof layer both inside and outside), small equipment boxes, medium postal parcel boxes, and bright candy boxes are ideal. Even shoe boxes will do a great job as a feeder!

Candy box bird feeder

You will need:
Candy box (3 pcs.)
Two medium nylon twines or two shoelaces.

Place one edge of the box into the other so that you get a triangle of three interconnected candy boxes, as shown in the picture:

Thread a string through the roof of the feeder, and with the second string securely attach your feeder to the tree.

candy box feeder

The feeder is ready, all that remains is to pour in the delicious grains and crumbs!

Even a child can handle making such a feeder (by the way, don’t forget to involve the children in this entertaining activity).

You will need:
Juice or milk box;
Long lace;
Knife or scissors.

Take a box of a suitable size and, using scissors or a knife, carefully cut a hole in the side wall of the box.

Thread a string through the top edge of the box, right in the middle, and secure the “freshly prepared” feeder to the branch.

Hurry up and fill the birds with food - they have already discovered a new feeder and are waiting for your treat with all their might!

If you want to make a feeder large enough. To accommodate a whole flock of birds, take a regular postal parcel box! Carefully glue the top with tape, cut wide holes in the side walls, secure it to the tree - everything is ready! Look what happened:

This is where the soul can turn around! There are all kinds of plastic bottles all around in different shapes and colors! There is a huge opportunity to show your creativity, invention, originality!

Let's take a closer look at the idea of turning an ordinary plastic water bottle into a bird feeder.

We will need:

Knife or scissors;
Plastic bottle with a capacity of 5-6 liters;
Wire;
Bird food.

1. Using a knife or sharp scissors, carefully (so as not to cut yourself) cut a wide hole in the plastic bottle, located slightly above the bottom of the bottle (2-3 cm will be enough);

2. You can make several windows, one on each side.
3. Wrap the neck of the bottle with a strong wire and secure the other end of the wire to a tree branch;
4. Place plywood or a piece of linoleum on the bottom of the feeder, with their help we will make our feeder heavier and it will not swing and turn over with every breeze;
5. Fill up with bird food and wait for the “guests” you have invited!

Feeder made from a plastic bottle with spoon stands

Let's say that you want to make a small, compact plastic feeder, then take a 1.5-2 liter plastic bottle!

You will need the following materials:
1.5-2 liter plastic bottle;
Wire;
Sharp knife or scissors;
Two wooden spoons for coasters;
Bird food.

Step-by-step instruction:
1. Take a plastic bottle with a capacity of 2 liters, measure 15 cm from the bottom of the bottle with a ruler and make a through hole for a wooden spoon at this height in the very center of the bottle;
2. Go even higher (approximately to the middle of the bottle) and make another through hole for the second spoon. Only at a different angle (perpendicular to the existing holes);
3. Insert spoons through the bottle;
4. Enlarge the hole on the wide side of the spoon - the grains will spill out and it will be convenient for the birds to peck them;
5. Pour the birdseed into the bottle;
6. Tie wire around the neck of the bottle and securely attach it to the branches of the tree.
The feeder is ready! In a few minutes, she will be visited by birds who want to treat themselves.

Another version of a plastic bottle feeder, more simplified:

We use the same materials as for the feeder with spoons. But now we don’t need spoons, but instead prepare duct tape.

So, in a two-liter bottle we cut a large hole at a height of 5-7 cm from the bottom of the bottle. To make it convenient for the birds to sit on the cut edges of the bottle, we cover the sections with electrical tape or tape (your choice). We wrap the wire around the neck of the bottle and screw it to a tree branch. Pour in the food - everything is ready!

DIY wooden bird feeder

We have already looked at quite a lot of different options for bird feeders, made from all kinds of available materials and even waste. It would be completely wrong if a reliable and durable wooden feeder is left without attention - these are the kind of feeders that hung on the trees in our childhood. These are what our Trudoviks taught us to make during labor lessons!

Let's recall the manufacturing technology and - let's get to work!

First, let's get a little creative and draw! Armed with a piece of paper and a pencil, draw the type of feeder you plan to make. Seeing it on paper. Estimate the size of the future bird “dining room”. Only after this can you start making the feeder.

As an option, use ready-made drawings, which are presented at the very beginning of this article. The dimensions are already indicated there, the contours are clearly outlined - you can safely move on to the next activities.

To make a wooden feeder you will definitely need the following tools:
1. Hacksaw;
2. Hammer;
3. Nails.
Prepare the following materials in advance:
Plywood of the required size;
Bars 2x2 cm;
A thin wooden board for the base of the feeder.

We go strictly by size! Dimensions are shown in the drawing.

1. Cut out a rectangular base of the required size from a thin wooden board (solid);
2. Now we move on to the plywood sheet and cut out a rectangle of the same size as the base - this plywood sheet will serve as the roof of your feeder;
3. We cut the block into four parts, and one pair of bars should be 3 cm shorter than the first pair. Thanks to this design, water will flow smoothly over the roof of the feeder and will not stagnate on it - the roof will last much longer!
4. We retreat 1-1.5 cm from each edge of the feeder and nail the posts, first to the base of the feeder. And then we nail the roof to the posts. The front pillars should be shorter than the rear ones;
5. We nail a wire or a strong nylon cord to the middle of the roof and fix the feeder to the tree.
All! The work is done, pour in the food, and admire the merry bird feast! Don't forget to take photos - the memories will last a lifetime. There will be something to show your grandchildren and something to make with them!
Under no circumstances should we paint the feeder with paint or varnish - birds cannot tolerate such odors and will not visit a painted feeder with their presence!

What food is good for birds, and what food, on the contrary, can harm them?
Feeding birds is a rewarding activity, but it is worth knowing that not all food is suitable for birds to eat! One food can provoke illness in a gullible and hungry flyer, another can even lead to the death of the bird, but the third will definitely help the bird survive the cold and hungry press and live until the long-awaited spring!

So, what should not be given to birds as food:

Crumbs from fresh white bread;
Crumbs from rye bread;
Peels of bananas and all kinds of citrus fruits;
Cream pies, cakes;
Chips;
Roasted and salted sunflower seeds;
Cereals;
Nuts.

What you can and should treat birds with:

Raw seeds;
Buckwheat, millet, oats, millet;
Crumbs and small pieces of stale white bread;
Dried and cut into pieces fruits (dried fruits);
Tits are very fond of small cubes of unsalted lard;
For red-sided bullfinches, put rowan and viburnum in the feeder.

A few more photos of the original feeders:

Thanks to your attention and care in winter, more birds will have a real chance to survive, which in turn will definitely thank you later with their songs and “sanitary and health” work in your garden!

Watch also the video: Do-it-yourself bunker bird feeder in 10 minutes.

Sadly, on average, out of 10 birds, only two manage to survive the winter and greet spring with their cheerful singing. The rest die from hunger and cold, since the lack of food reduces the birds’ ability to fight frosts. However, feeding birds is important not only in winter, but also at any other time of the year, especially if you do it in your garden or summer cottage. The fact is that our feathered brothers effectively fight midges and insects, thereby protecting the crop from pests. In addition, a DIY bird feeder will allow you to show your imagination and decorate your area with an exclusive accessory. How fun it is to do this with children!

Selecting the material and suitable location for the feeder

Many people associate a bird feeder with a wooden birdhouse that resembles a miniature house. This shape is ideal for organizing bird feeding areas:

firstly, the birdhouse has a roof that protects food from precipitation and wind;
secondly, a wooden feeder is usually durable and reliable;
thirdly, a wooden birdhouse fits harmoniously into any landscape.

However, you should not limit your imagination, because a bird feeder can be implemented in almost any form, the main thing is that it meets the following criteria:

reliability and durability. When choosing material and fasteners for the feeder, keep in mind that they must support the weight of feathered guests;
durability of the material. To ensure that the bird feeder pleases the birds and you for a long time, make it from materials that are not deformed by precipitation. Of course, a small birdhouse can be made from cardboard or food packaging, but keep in mind that such a feeder will last until the first rain or snowfall, then it will have to be replaced;
safety. When making bird houses, you will have to cut out entrances, windows and other openings into them. To prevent guests arriving for the meal from getting hurt on the edges of the product, treat them with protective materials - electrical tape, polymer clay, resin, etc.

In addition, it is very important that feeders and birdhouses are located in places convenient for birds. There is no need to place them in the thick of branches, in a heavily blown area, or in places where cats can reach. To attract the birds' attention, hang the birdhouse in an open, easily visible area.

Examples of beautiful birdhouses made by yourself

And now the most interesting thing is a selection of beautiful bird feeders that are not so difficult to make with your own hands.

Wooden house

To build a birdhouse out of wood, you do not need to be a carpenter. You can make a wooden birdhouse from planks, beams, small logs or even wine corks, the main thing is to securely fasten all the elements and install them on a solid base. To make it convenient for birds to dine, take care of a wide entrance.

Alternatively, a wooden feeder can be made from an old one. To do this, you need to cut out and clean its core, and also come up with a durable pendant. Such feeders are often used for poultry, installed, for example, in chicken coops.

Bottle feeder

Even a child can make a bird feeder from a plastic bottle. To create it, you just need to cut a wide entrance into the container, process its edges and select a suitable pendant. However, to ensure that the plastic feeder not only serves as a dining room for birds, but also decorates your garden, complement it with bright drawings, inscriptions and decorations.

You can cover the bottle with rope, wrapping it very tightly, and decorate it with natural materials - tree bark, dry leaves, rowan, etc.

You can also make a feeder with automatic feed from an ordinary plastic bottle. To do this, you need to cut paired holes on both sides of the container and insert wide wooden spoons into them. If the bottle is filled to the top with food, the grains will pour out into the spoon in small portions. And the bird will sit comfortably on it.

A similar feeder can also be made using a product in the form of a hollow tunnel instead of spoons. You can also use food containers instead of a bottle.

Feeder made from old dishes

A dish feeder is unlikely to accustom your feathered guests to table etiquette, but it will certainly become an original garden decoration. Glue the cup to the saucer using super glue, select a reliable suspension (chain, rope, wire) and install the resulting feeder, for example, on a tree branch.

If you want to make a structure that will simultaneously serve as both a bird feeder and a water bowl, make a hanging item using a cup, saucer and deep plate, fastening them with strong decorative chains.

These feeders look very nice in which the cup is turned on its side. In this case, it also needs to be glued.

You can also use a ceramic teapot as a feeder, the hole of which will become an entrance for birds. The teapot needs to be turned to its side, make a hole for a rope or wire on the side wall, as well as on the lid, and hang the structure as shown in the photo.

You can make an original feeder right on your site, in which saucers with cups are attached to the legs of an old table, and the legs themselves stand in a bucket of sand. It would seem simple, but at the same time original and not like everyone else.

Here's another interesting idea for a bird feeder, which you can make from a saucer and attach a roof to it. And there can be a lot of such ideas using old dishes.

Saucer feeder with roof photo

A very beautiful feeder can be made from an old wine bottle turned upside down. You just need to choose the right holder for it. But such a feeder is only suitable for small food; if the grains are larger, it is better to use a glass bottle with a wide neck, for example, for dairy products or juices.

Pumpkin feeders

From a round pumpkin you can make not only vases, as we have already told you about in autumn and Halloween decorations, but also bird feeders. It is enough to cut a through hole in the pumpkin, clear it of seeds and hang it from a branch by a rope.

Mesh feeders

A simple and original bird feeder can be made from mesh, which is used in supermarkets for packaging fruits and vegetables. To do this, you just need to fill the net with food, tie it firmly in a knot and hang it in any suitable place. From such a feeder, birds will freely get grains, crumbs, porridge, and even the strongest wind will not be able to scatter them. If you are decorating an area for the holiday, a net with food can become an element of any other accessory. Essentially, these are disposable feeders, and when they run out of food, you just need to make new knots. By the way, such nodules are often filled with ready-made porridge for birds rather than with dry food.

Using exactly the same principle, you can make a feeder from a metal mesh. It is best to use flexible material, since in this case it will not be difficult to give it any shape.

Hanging bird feed

If you want to make life easier for birds, but at the same time you have absolutely no time to build a birdhouse, you should not give up your good goal. Nowadays you can find hanging pressed bird food on sale, which is very convenient as a homemade feeder. Since this food is intended for parrots and other caged birds, it comes with a convenient hanger. If there is no pendant on the stern, you can make one using strong thread or thin wire. Often this food is made in the form of a variety of intricate figures, so it will become another decoration in your garden for a while (until it is eaten). In principle, you can make this food yourself; there are many master classes with step-by-step photos and detailed instructions.

Make sure that your DIY bird feeder is always filled with grains, bread crumbs and other bird treats. Very soon this accessory will bring many guests to your yard, who will thank you with loud singing and the absence of annoying insects.

Winter time is a serious test for birds. Every day it becomes more and more difficult to find food. Take care of the birds - hang a feeder made with your own hands from the simplest materials at hand, which we usually throw in a landfill. We have selected photos and original ideas for making feeders that do not require special skills or complex drawings.

Having accustomed the birds to the feeder, you will be able to observe the entertaining avian bustle and the secret life of birds.

Some of them defend their rights in fights with relatives, others enter into competition with other species, but without exception, all of them carefully look around so as not to miss the attack of a small hawk, which is very interested in visitors to the feeder.

A simple bird feeder will bring great benefits to birds

Materials for making a feeder can be very diverse, but there are some general design rules:

the feeder should, first of all, be convenient for the birds; there should be no difficulty in removing food;
The roof and sides will help protect the food from snow, rain and wind. Exposure to moisture can cause food to deteriorate and become moldy, which means it will turn into poison for birds;
It is desirable that the material from which the feeder will be made be resistant to moisture, otherwise such a design will not last long and a new one will need to be made;

The feeder must be safe: have no sharp sides and be located high enough above the ground

walls and corners should not be sharp or prickly;
feeders for small birds are made small in size so that larger and more aggressive species do not encroach on their food;
It is better to place feeders on tree branches or attach them to the walls of outbuildings at a height of about one and a half meters, so that cats do not offend the birds, and it is convenient to sprinkle food on your feathered friends.

Advice. Birds get used to a permanent feeding place and are ready to travel many kilometers to the feeder. Therefore, feeding must be constant, otherwise the birds may die.

Plywood bird feeder

You can buy a feeder in a hypermarket, or you can make it yourself in a few hours. A plywood feeder can be made open, with a flat or gable roof, and a bunker compartment can be provided if you cannot constantly monitor the amount of feed in the feeder. Of course, you will need drawings, fortunately, there are plenty of them on the Internet with ready-made dimensions of parts for cutting. Choose a design that you like, the drawing will make the work easier and guarantee that in the end you will get exactly what is shown in the photo.

Lightweight and durable feeder made from plywood sheets

When choosing a design for a future feeder, consider the bird population in your region. Jays, pigeons and magpies can eat all the food, leaving little titmice hungry. To prevent this from happening, make the size of the feeder openings such that large birds cannot reach the feed.

So, you will need a hammer, an electric jigsaw, nails of a suitable length, water-based glue, sandpaper, plywood, 20 x 20 mm timber. Let's look at a simple feeder.

Ideas and drawings of a bird feeder made of wood

Wooden feeders are attractive because they last a long time and keep their shape well - this is due to the properties and reliability of wood. To make such a feeder you will need at least minimal skills in working with tools and a drawing. The board for production should be 18 - 20 mm thick. Let's consider the option of making a feeder, which you can do yourself or take a photo as a basis for a drawing. We will need a beam measuring 4.5 x 2 cm for the racks, a square of plywood 25 x 25 cm for the bottom, two pieces measuring 35 x 22 cm for the roof, nails, screws and glue.

Feeder made of wooden beams

Such a feeder can be installed permanently on a dug-in post or drill two holes in the ridge, screw in a screw with a hook and hang it on a wire. Several birds can fly up to the feeder at the same time, the food is protected from the wind by the sides and roof, the feathered friends of the garden will love such a cozy dining room.

Finished wooden feeder

If you have a gazebo on your site, hang a simple feeder there without a roof. It is enough to make a side and a bottom. If you want to paint the feeder or open it with varnish, then use water-based compounds so as not to harm the birds.

Advice. To prevent the wood from splitting, you need to make the tip of the nail blunt, and drill a hole for the screw before screwing it in.

Making a feeder out of cardboard (suitable for children)

One of the simplest feeders. The cardboard version is interesting because it can be made in a place with children and at the same time have a great time with them. This would be a great craft for kindergarten or elementary school. There is a lot of room for creativity here. Cardboard is an excellent option; it is only afraid of direct water. But if you want to play it safe and make the feeder more resistant to moisture, then you can glue the external elements of the feeder with wide tape, especially its upper and lower parts. In a forest or park, such a feeder can easily last all winter and part of spring.

Collage of a cardboard feeder. Photo livemaster.ru/topic/179659-delaem-kormushku-iz-kartona

The set of tools and materials is minimal, and if you don’t have something from this list, you can always find a replacement. So we will need these materials and tools:

A couple of sheets of cardboard (A4 format or more);
Ruler;
Scotch tape (for structural reliability);
Stationery knife;
A rope or piece of nylon rope to hang the feeder;
Pencil or felt-tip pen;
Cardboard glue or glue gun;
Hole puncher.

If such a feeder is going to take the prize as the best craft in your kindergarten, then you will have to work a little in terms of external design. Here our cardboard will give a head start to any Tetra-Pak (this is a milk or juice carton), you can beautifully draw on it and decorate it in every possible way. Undoubtedly, the prize from kindergarten will be yours!

Pumpkin feeder

But here, as they say, words are unnecessary - everything is visible in the photo collage. I would like to add that such a feeder looks very attractive and unusual and will be a real decoration of your garden, this is due to the shape of the feeder and its color, which looks great against the background of white snow.

This option is also suitable for making with children. And such a beautiful, bright craft will definitely not go unnoticed in kindergarten.

Bird feeder from a box (package) Tetra Pak) from juice or milk

You can make a feeder from a milk carton or a tetra pack of juice, like this. Even a child can do this. For this you will need:

clean juice box;
a piece of nylon rope or wire to hang the feeder;
adhesive plaster;
marker;
scissors or stationery knife.

Milk carton bird feeder

First of all, mark and cut holes on opposite sides of the tetra pack. To make it convenient for the birds to take food and fly out. We cover the bottom side of the window with adhesive tape for the convenience and safety of the birds. We poke a hole under the holes with scissors and insert the cardboard rolled up into a tube, which is left over from cutting the holes above. In the bent corners we make small holes for wire or rope. And we tie it to a branch.

The feeder can be attached to a tree trunk. Such a feeder will not sway in the wind. To do this, feeding slots are made not on opposite sides of the bag, but on adjacent ones. On the opposite side we fix the wire in the slot and screw it to the tree.

Horizontal feeder made of tetro pack

You can make a feeder out of two juice bags. We cut the first package along the narrow sides, leaving the top uncut. From the second tetra pack we cut off the third part and cut a hole on the front side of the bag - this will be the feeding board or the bottom of the feeder. We combine the bottom with the first package so that we get a triangle. The parts can be connected with glue, wrapped with tape, or by piercing the bottom of the sides and inserting straws for cocktails.

Bird feeder made from plastic bottles 1.5 - 2 liters

Let's look at some variations of making a do-it-yourself feeder made from plastic containers.

Option #1. The simplest feeder

Symmetrically, on both sides of the bottle we cut out two holes: round, square, rectangular or in the form of an arch. There should be bridges between the holes. If you make a slot in the form of an inverted letter “P” and bend the plate upward, you will get a rain canopy. You can stick an adhesive plaster or fabric tape to the bottom edge of the hole - the edges will not be sharp and the birds will sit comfortably. We make symmetrical holes in the lower part and insert a stick - the result is a feeder with a perch.

A simple feeder made from a plastic bottle

You can attach such a dining room for birds to a tree by wrapping the jumper with tape, rope or other suitable material, as seen in the photo. If you make a hole in the bottle cap and insert the ends of the twine, and then tie them in a knot, you will get a loop that can be thrown over the branches of garden trees.

Be sure to make the edges of the plastic feeder safe - cover the cut areas with electrical tape

Option #2. Bunker feeder.

This design is rational to use because the feed can be poured in for several days. As the birds eat it, the food will automatically be added to the feeding area itself.

Hopper feeder made from plastic bottles

You will need two bottles of the same volume. We mark one bottle with a marker before cutting. We make holes at the bottom, as in feeder No. 1, and remove the top third of the bottle. We make two symmetrical holes at the top - a ribbon or twine will later be tied to them for hanging the feeder. In the second bottle we cut several holes at the narrowest part - food will pour out of them. Do not make large holes right away; it is better to expand them later. We pour food into the bottle, tighten the cap and insert the bottle into the first bottle, cut by a third.

Option #3. Feeder with spoon

We make a hole in the cork and insert twine for hanging. Then we make two holes symmetrically the size of the spoon. We cut a hole in the bottle above the bowl-shaped deep part of the spoon, slightly widening it so that the birds can take the food. Fill the feeder and hang it up.

Feeder with spoon

Advice. Using a hot needle or small nail, make several holes in the bottom of the feeder to drain moisture that gets inside.

Bird feeder made from a plastic bottle 5 liters

Probably in every home there is an empty five-liter plastic water bottle. Making a feeder in one evening to feed birds in winter from this material is very simple. Such a container will hold much more food than a smaller plastic bottle, as can be seen in the photo. Several holes will allow several birds to feed comfortably at once.

Feeder made from a five-liter plastic bottle

This is a very simple and quick option, invite your children or other family members to take part in the manufacturing process: find a ribbon or wire to tie the finished feeder to a tree branch, prepare a treat for the birds. Prepare a clean bottle, a sharp knife, pruning shears or a utility knife.

We cut the hole based on how we plan to secure the container to the tree:

horizontally - cut a wide hole from the bottom of the bottle and the same from the neck;
vertically - at a height of 5-7 cm from the bottom of the container, cut several square holes or three rectangular ones.

Materials needed to make a feeder

It is convenient to tie the bottle by the neck to a branch with wire or twine. If the feeder is made in a horizontal version, then use a knife to make two holes on the wall through which you pass the twine for tying. To prevent the feeder from swaying in the wind, place a quarter of a brick on the bottom to weigh it down, and load a treat on top.

You can also build a bunker feeder from a five-liter bottle. To do this you will need a five-liter bottle and two 1.5-liter bottles, a marker, a stationery knife and a rope.

You can place the feeder under the roof to make the birds more comfortable

With a little ingenuity, you can use the simplest plastic bottles to create unusual dining rooms for birds that will decorate your area.

Shoebox bird feeder

Everything is simple here. Take a thick shoe box with a lid. We make a round hole in the lid. The hole needs to be moved slightly from the center to the bottom edge of the box (a little different in the photo), this is necessary so that the birds can reach the food, which will lie at the bottom of the box.

We make a small hole in the top of the box and insert a tourniquet or rope through it. We tie an old pencil or stick to the end of this rope. We will then tie the other end of the rope to the branch of the tree on which we plan to hang the feeder. Then you can wrap the box with wrapping paper, but this is for aesthetic purposes, you don’t have to do this.

We make a roof out of ordinary cardboard and put it on glue. Next, we glue the lid to the box itself with tape, as in Figure 3, 4, and also thread a rope through the lid.

At the moment when we hang the finished feeder on a tree, the roof may come unstuck from the box, but this is not scary, it won’t be able to get away anywhere, because it will be held in place by a rope.

And in the picture below is an even simpler version of a shoebox feeder. But there is no need to explain anything here, everything is already visible in the photo. The entire box is simply wrapped with tape, which, by the way, is very practical. And in our opinion, it turned out to be original and unusual.

Cardboard bird feeder

To make a bird canteen with your own hands, the simplest material will do, which is stored in abundance on the balconies of most families: boxes of electrical goods, cardboard packaging of food products. Choose thicker cardboard with a laminated coating; laminate will slightly increase the service life of the feeder. Although, as written above, you can use wide tape for these purposes. The advantage of this design is that there is already a bottom, walls and roof of the future feeder, which needs to be slightly modified by cutting square or rectangular holes on the sides.

Even a schoolchild can make a cozy feeder from a mailbox with his own hands

You will need a nylon cord, scissors or a stationery knife and tape. Since cardboard is a very short-lived material and is afraid of moisture, a finished feeder wrapped with tape will last until the next season. Having cut the side holes and secured the cord, you can hang the feeder and fill it with treats for the birds, which will not keep you waiting long. Place sand or some pebbles at the bottom so that the structure does not sway too much in the wind.

If you cover a cardboard feeder with paints, it will last longer.

You can do it a little differently. We glue the lid of the box perpendicularly so that the lid serves as a stern stand, and the second part of the box serves as a side and a roof. We glue the structure with tape. We make two hooks from wire: we bend a piece of wire in half and pierce the “ceiling” of the feeder with the ends, twist it and bend it from the inside. By connecting the hooks, you can hang the feeder on a branch. As you can see in the photo. Now pour in the food and wait for the guests.

Window bird feeder (with suction cups)

Such feeders are a very interesting option for the general development of children, and adults too :). The feeder is attached to the window, or rather to the glass, using suction cups. Usually such feeders are also made transparent in order to fully enjoy watching the birds. If you have suction cups, you can make such a feeder yourself, for example, from the same plastic bottle, but you must agree that it will still not be as aesthetically pleasing as the ready-made version from the store. Children will probably start taking pictures of all this, and photos with yellowed, cloudy bottles will, to put it mildly, not be so hot. The purchased options look very nice.

Birds living in the wild need protection and care. It is especially difficult for them during winter: when it is frosty outside, it is so difficult to find shelter and food.

That is why caring people try to feed our younger “brothers” as much as possible. One of the ways that will not only help birds, but also decorate your garden is a feeder made from scrap materials.

In this article we have collected several of the most affordable options - based on descriptions and photographs, using already unnecessary items (plastic bottles or old dishes), you can easily arrange a place where flocks of birds will gather.

Material selection

After assessing the resources you have to create a feeder, you can choose an idea you like. However, it is worth remembering that not only its appearance, but also practical characteristics such as stability depend on the configuration.

That is why a good feeder must meet the following requirements:

Wear resistance and durability. Preference should be given to wood or plastic, which can withstand weather conditions without getting wet from rain and snow, or collapsing under gusts of wind.

In addition, the birds themselves often cause damage to the feeder - in search of crumbs, their beaks and claws scratch and tear fragile materials.

Proper size. Remember that if you cut out a small feeder, for example, from tetrapack, then large birds will not be able to eat from it, and small ones will start fights for space and shake out the food on the ground.

No sharp edges, protruding nails, etc. Birds are very delicate creatures, their feather protection and the skin on their legs cannot prevent cuts from sharp objects, so make sure that your feeder is not dangerous for them, especially if it is made of glass, plastic or planks!

Location and installation

Choosing the right location is extremely important!

Having chosen the most suitable position from the point of view of landscape design, evaluate:

Accessibility for birds. Perhaps the feeder will be closed from them by thick branches, or, conversely, it will be too open, and then, in a strong wind, the birds simply will not be able to get close to it.

Difficulty for cats. These animals are excellent hunters, especially those who live in villages and holiday villages. They are stronger, faster and more dexterous than their domestic counterparts, and therefore, sneaking up to the feeder, they can cause great damage to the bird community.

Ideas for making your own feeder

There are a huge number of different types of feeders - it all depends on your imagination and available materials.

We will try to consider both the simplest and the most original ideas.

House made of wood or plywood

Despite the apparent complexity, such a structure can be assembled with unnecessary boards, pieces of wood, glazing beads, plywood and, of course, special glue or nails.

Note!

The base should be a heavy, flat board. To make the walls and roof, you may need a drawing, however, you can get by with an eye.

A wooden bird feeder, depending on how much attention you pay to it, can become not only a place for birds to feed, but also an elegant decoration for your garden.

Feeder made from plastic bottles

This type of feeder is very easy to make and is perfect if you decide to involve children in the creation process. You need to cut one or two holes in the bottle so that you can not only pour in the food, but also access it without difficulty.

Of course, you should try to ensure that the cut edges come out neat and not too sharp (in addition, it is advisable to cover them with tape).

If you are using a small bottle (1.5-2 liters), then you can do it in two ways: cut a square or rectangular hole in the bottle, or prefer a U-shape so that you can bend a piece of plastic and make a visor.

If you decide to use a large bottle (5-6 liters, in which drinking water is usually sold), you can make a large side cutout. This will not only provide more food, but also give the birds room to maneuver.

Note!

To prevent the wind from ruffling a light bottle, it is worth placing a stone or a piece of brick at the bottom. This also applies to the next type of feeder.

Bird feeder made of tetra pack

You can also use juice or wine boxes to make a bird feeder.

To do this, you should follow the same technology as in the previous case: mark the location of the cut, cut it in shape, glue tape (or adhesive tape) along the bottom side of the opening, then make holes for a strong rope in the upper part of the tetra pack. All that remains is to hang the feeder in the place you choose.

Shoe box feeder

The cardboard from which the shoebox is made cannot be considered a durable material, but it is quite resistant to moisture, and if it is frosty outside, such a feeder can hang until spring.

The technology for making the feeder, as in previous cases, is also very simple: make four to six holes for the rope, slits on the sides and put a weight on the bottom for stability.

Note!

Other options

The above options are extremely popular - such feeders can be found at any dacha. If you want to make a unique feeder with your own hands, you should take unusual materials, for example, old tableware: a cup and saucer.

In the autumn, you can cut out a product from a pumpkin or zucchini; in the winter, halves of an orange, peeled from the pulp, are suitable for this. These feeders will surprise your neighbors and will undoubtedly decorate your garden!

Photo of a DIY bird feeder

For birds, you need to have a few simple items and tools.

You can make a feeding trough with your children, but keep in mind that you need to watch every step, since during the construction process sharp things are used - scissors, knives, screwdrivers and even, sometimes, a saw.

There are many options for feeders - made from plywood, plastic bottles, tin cans or cardboard.

Here are the most interesting, popular and original ideas for creating a feeder:

Feeder made from scrap materials: toilet paper rolls

You will need:

1 toilet paper roll

Peanut butter

Small bowl

Plate

A couple of branches

Strong thread or fishing line

Knife (dull or plastic).

1. Connect two branches or sticks together using hot glue or string. You can skip this point if you make 4 holes in the sleeve (see below).

2. Make holes in the toilet paper roll so that you can thread two branches or sticks through them. It is better to make 2 holes: a little higher and 2 slightly lower (see image). This item is not required, because The sleeve can be put on differently.

3. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and use a plastic knife to spread the butter onto the surface of the cardboard toilet paper roll.

4. Sprinkle the food over the peanut butter sleeve.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 4 more bushings.

6. Tie a strong thread to the connected branches so that the structure can be hung.

7. Hang all the cardboard tubes on the branch structure, and then hang everything on the tree.

Feeder made from a plastic bottle. Option 1.

You will need:

Any plastic bottle

Ribbon, thread or fishing line

Awl or drill (for making holes in the bottle and plastic cap)

Bolt and nut

Stationery or simple knife (if necessary)

Deep plastic plate.

1. Prepare a plastic bottle. Remove the label from it, wash it well and dry it.

2. Make a hole in the middle of the lid and plastic plate.

3. Attach the lid to the plate using a bolt and nut.

4. Make a hole in the bottom of the bottle (bottom).

5. Make several holes on the side (4-5), near the neck of the bottle, so that the food can spill out when you turn the bottle over. Holes can be made with a stationery knife if the bottle is not too dense.

6. Take the ribbon, fold it in half, and tie the ends in a knot. Thread the ribbon through the hole at the bottom of the bottle.

Now you can pour food into the bottle, screw on the cap and turn it over. The ribbon will allow you to hang the feeder on a branch.

Bird feeder made from a plastic bottle. Option 2.

You will need:

Plastic bottle

Plastic container

Strong thread or fishing line

Screwdriver or nail

Knife (simple or stationery).

1. Remove the cap from the bottle and the cap from the container.

2. Place the bottle cap on the container cap (in the center) and trace with a pen, felt-tip pen or pencil.

3. Using a utility knife, cut a hole in the lid of the container. The hole can be made slightly smaller than the diameter of the bottle cap.

4. Make one hole along the edges of the container lid.

5. Make a hole in the center of the bottle cap. The hole should be large enough to allow bird food to spill out.

6. Place the cap on the bottle and then insert the bottle into the hole in the container cap.

7. Tie a strong thread to the bottle and put the cap on the container.

Now you can pour food into the bottle or pour water and hang the feeder on a tree.

How to make a feeder from a box (photo instructions)

Original polymer clay feeder

You will need:

Polymer clay

Rope

Thick wire or piece of aluminum

Baking bowl or any other utensil that can be placed in the oven

A small piece of fabric.

1. First roll out the clay on a flat surface until it is about 6mm thick.

2. Carefully place the rolled out clay inside the baking bowl. Trim off any excess pieces so that the clay lies flat. Make 3 large holes in the clay for the rope.

3. Place the bowl of clay in the oven. Read the clay instructions carefully to know how long it takes for the clay to harden in the oven.

4. When the clay has hardened, carefully remove it from the bowl, tie three pieces of rope to it - tie a knot at one end of each rope, and insert the other end into the hole of the clay plate.

5. Tie all ends of the rope and secure them with wire.

6. It is advisable to place a small piece of fabric inside the plate so that the birds do not accidentally peck the clay along with the food.

Original do-it-yourself pumpkin feeder

You will need:

Small pumpkin

Wooden crossbars (even branches can be used)

Thin wire.

1. You need to cut off the top of the pumpkin.

2. Using a knife or screwdriver, make 4 holes in the pumpkin to insert branches or wooden slats into. Make 2 opposite holes at the same height and two other opposite ones slightly lower - this way you will have one branch slightly higher than the other.

3. Take a thin wire and wrap it around each end of the branches so that the feeder can be hung on the tree. Connect all the ends of the wire so that the feeder can hang evenly. Twist them into a hook.

Original DIY bird feeder idea

This feeder is suitable for sub-zero temperatures.

You will need:

Large plastic bottle

Small plastic bottle or small plastic container

Scissors

Coniferous branches

Berries (optional)

Seeds

1. Cut off the bottom of a large and small plastic bottle. First you can make a hole with a knife and then cut with scissors. You will have the base of the feeder.

2. Place spruce branches, berries and seeds in a circle in the cut-out bottom of a large bottle.

3. Place the bottom of a small bottle or small plastic container in the center of the base.

4. Pour earth, sand or pebbles into a small container.

5. Tie strong threads or fishing line to the feeder so it can be hung.

6. If you put the feeder in the freezer overnight, and then take out and remove the plastic parts, you will get an ice feeder.

How to make a feeder with your own hands using a bottle

You will need:

Small glass or plastic bottle (preferably with a cap)

Small saucer or bottom of a plastic bottle

Wire

Saw (if necessary)

Screw half ring (hook).

1. Using screws, connect two small pieces of plywood. In this example, the dimensions of the plywood are 11 x 15 cm and 31 x 15 cm.

2. Using the bottle that you will later attach to the stand, mark the places where you will need to attach two pieces of wire - one at the neck, the other at the bottom of the bottle.

3. The neck of the bottle should be approximately 3-4 cm above the base.

4. Drill holes for the wire, insert your wire through the bottom, wrap it around the bottle and secure it to the back of the plywood (you can twist the wire or secure it with a stapler).

5. Fill the bottle with seeds, screw the lid on so as not to spill the seeds, turn it over and insert the bottle between the wires, place a saucer under it and remove the lid.

6. Screw a half-ring screw into the top of the plywood to hang the feeder.

Original DIY bird feeder

You will need:

Tin can (preferably with a lid)

Sisal rope (sisal rope) or thick rope

A piece of thin plywood, a branch, or any small metal piece

Hot glue.

1. If you have a jar with a lid, then the lid needs to be bent in half.

2. Take a small branch, piece of plywood, or other small piece that birds can perch on and glue it to the jar.

3. Insert the bent lid as shown in the image (slightly inside the jar and over the metal part) and secure it with glue.

4. Take a thick rope or rope about 80 cm long and start wrapping the can so that the long ends of this rope (30 cm) remain at the beginning and at the end. Use glue to secure the rope to the can.

5. Cut the rope, tie the ends in a knot and secure with glue.