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

To begin with, let's take a look at a great many different feeders made from a variety of materials. This will help you decide on the image, choose the option that suits you.

plastic bottle and glass jar

Indeed, with the help of wood, the feeder can be given any look: you can build a mini-castle, you can put an ordinary “dining room” on racks, you can decorate the feeder with intricate carvings, etc. as far as your imagination allows and there are the necessary building materials.

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

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

1. Your feeder must be with a roof - so the food will remain dry and not covered with snow, and it will be easy and simple 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 enclosed spaces. What if several hungry flyers arrive at once in your “bird dining room” for lunch? It is important to take care of this option;
3. When choosing a material for the feeder, be guided by its strength and moisture resistance: the denser and more moisture-resistant the source material, the longer your feeder will last;
4. The feeder very often turns out to be too light, therefore it reacts to every gust of wind, while grains and crumbs crumble and the birds remain hungry. To cope with this problem, you need to slightly weight the feeder. To do this, lay a piece of plywood, linoleum on its bottom (strictly according to the size of the bottom).

Now you will learn how you can independently make a similar feeder from all kinds of cereals.

This feeder looks great and, at the same time, perfectly copes with its functions! Tree branches adorned 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, as fried ones will only harm small flyers;
Egg;
Oatmeal;
Honey;
Gelatin;
Flour;
Pencil;
Thick cardboard;
Scissors;
Dense kapron 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 a paper blank with scissors and attach it to thick cardboard. Circle with a pencil and carefully cut along the contour;
3. Take care of preparing bird food in advance. Pick up unroasted and unsalted grains, all kinds of bread crumbs;
4. Using a needle and a dense 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. In order for the grains and crumbs to stick together and attach well to the cardboard base, start preparing natural glue:

• 2 tbsp. tablespoons of oatmeal (in no case oatmeal);
• 1 egg;
• 1 teaspoon of flowing honey;
• Flour.

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

6. We apply the prepared adhesive mass to the base;
7. In another container, thoroughly mix all our grains;
8. We dip and roll in the resulting crumb-grain mixture our base coated with “glue”;
9. Ready grain feeders must be put in the refrigerator for several hours - the mass should solidify well and acquire the necessary strength;
10. Hang such delicious “treats” on the branches of trees and watch from afar the feast of birds that have flown in to treat themselves and feast!

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

Send the molds with the contents to the refrigerator to thicken;
Delicious toys are ready, you can safely hang them on the branches of trees!

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 from the proposed ones). After the mixture thickens in the refrigerator, tie the feeder to a tree branch with a ribbon! The quick version is just as good!

An ordinary cardboard box can successfully serve as a dining room for birds! However, it is advisable to pick up boxes covered with a special protective layer, laminate - this way the life of your feeder will increase significantly!

Juice boxes are ideal (they are covered with a special moisture-proof layer inside and out), from small appliances, medium-sized boxes from postal parcels, bright candy boxes. Even shoeboxes will do a great job with the functions of the feeder!

Candy box bird feeder

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

Insert one edge of the box into the other so that you get a triangle of three candy boxes connected to each other, as shown in the picture:

Pass the cord through the roof of the feeder, with the second cord securely attach your feeder to the tree.

candy box feeder

The feeder is ready, it remains only to fill in delicious grains and crumbs!

Even a child will cope with the manufacture of such a feeder (by the way, do not forget to involve children in this entertaining activity).

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

Take an appropriately sized box and, using scissors or a knife, carefully cut a hole in the side of the box.

Through the top edge of the box, right in the middle, thread the string and fasten the “freshly prepared” feeder to the branch.

Hurry up and fill in the bird food - they have already discovered a new bird feeder and are eagerly waiting for your treat!

If you want to make a large enough feeder. To fit a whole flock of birds in it - take an ordinary postal parcel box! Glue the top carefully with adhesive tape, cut wide holes in the side moans, fix it on a tree - you're done! See what happened:

That's where there is a soul to turn around! There are a lot of plastic bottles of various shapes and colors around! 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 a 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 fasten the other end of the wire to a tree branch;
4. Lay 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 sway and turn over with every breath of the breeze;
5. Pour in bird food and wait for your invited "guests"!

Plastic bottle feeder with spoons

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. Rise 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 existing holes);
3. Insert through the spoon 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 bird food into the bottle;
6. Tie the neck of the bottle with wire and attach it securely to the branches of the tree.
The feeder is ready! In a few minutes, birds wishing to treat themselves will visit it.

Another option for 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 electrical 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. In order to make it convenient for the birds to sit on the cut edges of the bottle, we paste over the cuts with electrical tape or tape (your choice). We wrap the wire around the neck of the bottle and fasten it to a tree branch. Pour food - you're done!

DIY wooden bird feeder

We have already considered quite a lot of different options for bird feeders, made from all kinds of improvised means and even waste. It will not be right at all if a reliable and durable wooden feeder is left without attention - these are the feeders that hung on the trees in our childhood. It was them who were taught to make us at labor lessons by our Trudoviks!

Recall the manufacturing technology and - for business!

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

As an option - use the 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 proceed to the next events.

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 right size;
Bars 2x2 cm;
Thin wooden board for the base of the feeder.

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

1. From a thin wooden board (solid), we cut out a rectangular base of the desired size;
2. Now go 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 bar into four parts, and one pair of bars should be 3 cm shorter than the first pair. Thanks to this design, the water will flow smoothly over the roof of the feeder and 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 racks, first to the base of the feeder. And then we nail the roof to the racks. The front struts should be shorter than the rear;
5. We nail a wire or a strong nylon cord to the middle of the roof and fix the feeder on the tree.
All! The work is done, we pour the food, and admire the fun bird feast! Don't forget to take pictures - the memory will last a lifetime. There will be something to show to the grandchildren and what to make together with them!
In no case do we paint the feeder with paint or varnish - the birds do not tolerate such smells and will not visit the painted feeder with their presence!

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

So, what can not be given to birds for food:

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

What can and should be treated to birds:

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

A few more photos of the original feeders:

Thanks to your attention and care in the winter period, there will be a real chance for more birds 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.

In the cold, especially winter season, it becomes difficult for birds to find food for themselves, and they urgently need strength for life. Bird feeders made by man and placed on trees in gardens, parks, or near residential buildings (even by a window, balcony) will save birds from hunger and help them survive severe frosts.
These designs can be bought in stores or made independently.

Where to place bird feeders

Unlike birdhouses, which need to be placed in quiet, remote places, bird feeders should be hung in prominent and open areas. The birds will immediately notice the food, and will regularly visit the "food point".

Suitable for this:

• squares and parks;
• courtyards of residential buildings;
• roofs of houses;
• garden in a country house.

Feeding troughs are suspended, fixed to the branches of trees, bushes or on loggias, terraces, windows. When choosing the latter options, you can watch birds without leaving your home, it is very interesting and educational for children.

What materials are suitable for making bird feeders

For the manufacture of feeders, you can use various materials, which greatly simplifies the implementation of the plan:

For fixing, you can use ropes, fishing lines, laces, wire. Do not forget that for the convenience of birds, small “perches” are always made. For this, ice cream sticks, pieces of plastic or wood, twigs, wood chips are suitable.

Fruit and vegetable

The easiest option that does not require any costs is the use of pumpkin, coconut (removing the pulp), citrus peel. Often people do not hesitate to throw away peels after oranges, pumpkins, other fruits and vegetables. And they can be perfectly used under an organic feeder, filled with seeds, and hung on tree branches.

Cardboard packaging

Making a feeder from cardboard containers is the easiest and cheapest option. Suitable boxes for dairy products, juices, shoes, appliances. In the box, windows are made using scissors or a clerical knife, food is poured: seeds, grains, lard, cookies, bread. Then hung out on bushes or trees, fences and other places.

Plastic bottles

Bird feeders are very often made from, it is also completely inexpensive and easy. Just as in the version with cardboard, they make openings for the birds, insert sticks or twigs so that it is comfortable for the birds to sit, fill in the food and fix it in the chosen place.

When choosing the option of a plastic bottle feeder, you should not forget that this material is very sharp at the cut points. So that the birds do not cut themselves, it is necessary to “sand” all sharp cuts, or seal them with electrical tape (weather-resistant).

Metal variant

A simple solution is a tin can feeder. This container is washed, dried and all sharp edges are processed or bent. If desired, the jar is painted, wooden or plastic planks are glued (it is better to refuse metal) for a convenient arrangement of birds. The prepared container is attached to branches or fixed to fences and poles with the help of self-tapping screws. Then feed is poured.

Wooden bird feeders

The classic version of the wooden feeder is worth choosing if there are children in the house. This will contribute to the interest of the kids in caring for birds, instilling a sense of responsibility, kindness. A wooden feeder always looks very impressive, it can be made independently of any size and shape.

For this:

1. Create a preliminary sketch on paper with a pencil (in the form of a house).
2. They make blanks from plywood according to a sketch.
3. Assemble the structure - knocking together, gluing, and fixing all the elements.
4. Choose a place and fix the bird feeder with strong fasteners, as this design is heavier.

Seeds, cereals, dried fruits and lard are poured into the finished feeder. Often you can see several wooden feeders (5-6 pcs.) Installed in parks or yards at once.

The bottom of a do-it-yourself wooden feeder should be weighted so that the structure does not turn over in strong winds (for hanging options). To do this, choose small stones that are evenly laid on the bottom, or a steel sheet of the desired size.

Non-standard options

In addition to commonly used and simple feeders, you can choose an original solution that will not only benefit the birds, but also add additional decor to the overall design of the yard or garden.

Porcelain structures

It often happens that a cup or plate is accidentally broken and thrown away. In the meantime, there are good ideas on how to give broken dishes a second life - use them for a feeder. The broken parts are glued together, the cup in a horizontal position is glued to a saucer or plate - you're done! It remains to fix in the chosen place and fill up the food. You can use only cups, fixing them on a base, for example, a board. You can also use shades, glass jars.

mixed feeder

Original bird feeders will be visited daily if they are made in a non-standard way with minimal cost. To do this, make sugar syrup or dough from flour, water and protein. Seeds, nuts, grains, dried fruits, fruits (cut) are poured into this sticky mass. Everything is mixed and laid out in strong plastic nets. Ready-made treats for birds are hung on branches.

Having placed the feeder in a certain place, you should not forget that it is always filled with food, as the birds will get used to it and will regularly visit there.

Bunker structures

If it is not possible to fill the feeder daily, you can choose the right solution - the bunker option. This feeder is characterized by a large closed, capacious feed container and small recesses for the feed outlet. As the grains and seeds are eaten by birds, the food will gradually be fed again and again (automatically). In this option, it is very important not to forget to make a convenient additional area for the location of the birds, as in the photo.

When installing a bird feeder, it should be borne in mind that the location of the structure should not be on the leeward side - the food and birds will be blown off. The bird house should be safe for birds (without sharp edges), securely fastened, convenient to use, and protected from bad weather. Its location should be accessible to the person who will add food, and inaccessible to cats.

Birds are our smaller friends who delight us with their chirping and singing. And any garden in the presence of birds seems to come to life, filled with new life. Besides birds help to protect the summer cottage from attacks of various insects in the summer. And in winter, when they have almost no food, the task of a person is to help the birds survive the frost by feeding them. A good attitude towards birds will pay off handsomely. for birds with their own hands is done quickly, without unnecessary manipulation, it will not only become a source of food for birds, but it will also be able to decorate any area.

Feeders for winged birds were made by many while studying at school, and someone, together with their parents, managed to make more than one feeder while still attending kindergarten. At that time, tasks for making feeders were given at school in order to instill in the child a desire to work and take care of our smaller brothers.

Now, in most cases, feeders in the adjoining areas are located in order to lure birds to permanent residence in the garden or to take care of them in the winter. There are a great many variations of feeders, but do not forget that if a person pursues a good goal, he must make sure that the feeder is not just beautiful, but comfortable and attractive to birds.

So what should it be like so that birds from all over the area flock to peck at delicious delicacies?

1. The feeder should not be bright. Do not forget that birds are inhabitants of the wild, in which bright colors often indicate the danger of an insect or animal. So it is unlikely that birds will fly to nuclear flower feeders. The best option is the color of the wood.
2. The place for feeding should be equipped with small sides so that the food does not fall out of it during the wind and at the moment when the bird lands on the feeder and shakes it.

   

3. It is important to make sure that the sides and other elements of the feeder are not sharp and do not pose a danger to birds.
4. The best thing, so that the feeder has a small roof- then the food lying in it will not get wet in the rain, and it will not be covered with snow.
5. It is recommended to place the feeder where cats and other predators cannot reach it.. Then the birds will happily fly to it. If the place carries danger, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to lure the birds.

   

6. All openings in the walls of the feeder must be spacious so as not to create the effect of an enclosed space. Otherwise, the birds will be uncomfortable.
7. It is best to make a feeding place that will withstand various weather conditions and will not collapse after the first season.
8. Feed in the feeder should be clearly visible- Birds use their eyesight more than their other senses when looking for food.

   

Advice! In order to make the structure heavier and protect it from swinging in the wind, you can place pebbles in it, but so that they do not end up in food.

Which is better: homemade or from the store?

You can make a place for birds to eat on your own, but the stores now sell ready-made designs and products that you can simply purchase and hang in your garden or outside the window. Of course, then a lot of time is saved, but it’s better to make the feeder yourself or order from the masters. Only in this case, you can be sure that the feeder is made of materials that are safe for flying inhabitants of nature and will perform its function correctly.

On a note! Undoubtedly, you need to pay attention to the design of the feeder, but if this is not just a decorative decoration of the garden, then, first of all, you should pay attention to its functionality.

It is also important to understand that a good feeder, but made in production or by craftsmen, will cost a lot of money. So it’s worth considering what to do - save money and do everything yourself, or still spend money and buy a ready-made version.

Provided that a feeding place can actually be made quickly and easily enough, the DIY option remains the best. The main thing is to decide and decide what and how to make a feeder, how and where it will hang, and also take into account the availability of skills in the manufacture of various products. You should not take on a complex project without proper experience, it is easier to choose the simplest option. Fortunately, there are many types of feeders.

Table. Types of feeders.

On a note! The design can be made simply from feed, combining the grains into a single lump with the help of various nutrients and hanging such a “gingerbread” in a conspicuous place. Suitable for small birds that will peck out grain from the feeder, catching on it with their claws.

What can you make a feeder out of?

You can make a feeder yourself from a variety of objects and materials, ranging from an ordinary board to a plastic bottle or even a tetrapack box. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is necessary to choose what the food base will be made of, based on the presence of certain skills in working with various tools, the availability of free time, funds, and the goals of creating a place for eating.

Wooden feeders

The best option for creating a bird feeding area was and remains a natural, untreated tree. Such a design will be closest to nature, and its neutral color and smell will not scare birds away from food. It is ideal if the natural bark is preserved on the boards. So when choosing a material, you can stop at saw cuts of birch, pine, etc. You can even make a feeder from branches!

Wooden feeder - the best option

But in order to make a wooden, even the simplest feeder, you will need certain skills and tools for working with wood.

Advice! You should not decorate a wooden feeder with various bright objects, but you can decorate it with natural material, for example, by masking the roof with twigs, cones, leaves.

How to make a tree feeder?

Consider how you can make the simplest feeder from wooden materials. To do this, you need to buy wooden blocks, a small piece of fiberboard, a furniture stapler, a saw, drawing supplies and a tape measure.

Step 1. From a sheet of fiberboard you need to cut a square or rectangle. You should apply a drawing of a square or rectangle of the appropriate size on a sheet of fiberboard, and then cut off the excess with a saw.

Step 2 Now you need to make the sides for the pallet. It is necessary to cut out two pieces of the same length from the bar, equal to the side of the square or the long side of the rectangle, as well as two shorter pieces, which will be equal to the width of the square or the narrow side of the rectangle, minus the thickness of the bar.

Step 3 The sides need to be attached to the bottom of the feeder, which was previously made from fiberboard. The easiest way to do this is with a stapler.

Step 4 Now you need to make 4 supports for the roof of the feeder, all from the same bar. They must be the same height.

Step 6 The upper parts of the supports standing on one side must be connected with crossbars cut from the same bar. You should also make saw cuts on them at an angle of 45 degrees.

Step 7 Next is made. It is required to connect two sheets of fiberboard at an angle of 90 degrees. The connection is made using a small "ridge" bar with a length equal to the length of the slope. It is worth remembering that the roof should hang a little over the tray of the feeder, which means that the slopes should be made taking this factor into account.

Step 8 Next, the roof must be fixed on the racks for it using the same stapler or nails. The junction of two slopes can be glued using any material that does not allow water to pass through. The feeder is ready. If desired, it can be stolen with cones and branches.

Advice! While fixing the sides on the bottom of the feeder, they can be additionally smeared with PVA glue to ensure the connection not only due to the stapler staples, but also due to glue.

Feeders with sides are most loved by shelling birds, and for the rest, you can make a feeder without sides. The main thing is that the side is not too high.

Similar designs can be made from plywood, refusing to use fiberboard. In this case, the feeder will be more reliable and durable.

Video - Wood feeder

Simple hanging feeders

These are very simple feeders, they can be easily and simply made in just a few minutes. They are a delicacy placed on a braid or in a case and hung on a tree. Often, according to this principle, pieces of fat for tits are fixed on the trees. You can also make balls from seeds. To hold the grains together, you can use peanut butter or interior fat. And such feeders just need to be fixed on a braid somewhere in a place noticeable to birds. To attract attention, you can try to tie a sprig of mountain ash to such a feeder. You need to form balls on the street so that they immediately freeze in the cold.

Advice! It is best to make pendants in the shape of a ball, and not in some beautiful and exotic shape. It is the ball that is the most convenient option for birds.

Making a fat feeder

Let's see how you can make a simple structure for placing fat, for the manufacture of which you will need twine, wire and a regular hoop - an accessory for embroiderers.

Step 1. In the store you need to buy ordinary plastic hoops. They need to be separated into two halves, but in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe castle, the hoop should remain connected.

Step 2 In the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe castle, you need to wrap the hoop with wire on both sides.

Step 3 On the other hand, where the hoop is separated, you need to make a wire jumper and wrap it with a “tail” from the wire to about the middle.

Step 4 The rest of the wire must be twisted and formed into a hook at an angle of 90 degrees, which is directed inside the hoop. Fat will be planted on it.

Step 6 After that, the hoop and wire must be wrapped with ordinary twine. The feeder is ready. It remains to place it in the right place in the garden and put a delicacy for the birds on the pin.

Making a feeder from a plastic bottle

Of course, you can simply cut a hole in the wall of a plastic bottle and hang it on a tree, filling it with grain. But you can contrive and make the feeder a little more complicated. To do this, you will need pallets for flowers of different diameters and a plastic bottle of about 1.5 liters. A strong rope will also come in handy.

Step 1. In one of the pallets (which is smaller), you need to make a hole of the same diameter as the neck of the bottle. You can cut it both with a knife and with a special crown put on a drill.

Step 2 Next, you need to remove the cap from the plastic bottle and screw the bottle itself into the tray with the neck, and screw the cork onto the neck from below. But for now, the structure can be temporarily disassembled. A small hole should be cut in the side of the bottle so that the food can spill out of it and be available to birds.

Step 3 Cut off the bottom of the bottle with a sharp knife.

Step 4 Now on the pallet - both on the first and on the second - you need to mark and drill holes for the rope. First you need to make holes on the smaller one, and then, applying it to the larger one, mark it and also drill holes.

Step 5 The final assembly is underway. The bottle must be screwed to the bottom tray.

Step 6 It is required to cut six pieces of rope of the same length. The rope is better to take dense and thick enough. You can also use a synthetic version.

Step 7 Now on each rope you need to tie a knot at the same distance from the edge.

Step 8 It is required to thread the ropes into the holes on the small pallet so that the short tails of the ropes are at the bottom.

Step 9 The second pallet will become a makeshift roof for the feeder. Now you need to thread the ropes into the holes of the second pallet.

Step 10 The ropes must be well tensioned. You should get the same design as in the picture.

Step 11 Now it is required from below and above from the remains of the rope to form "tails". On the top side, do not forget to make a loop for hanging.

Step 12 It remains only to fill the feeder with seeds and fix it on tree branches using a hanging loop.

Video - Large plastic bottle feeder

Video - Glass bottle hopper feeder

You can make bird feeders from any material. In haste, a feeding place can be built even from cardboard, but such a feeder will not last long. If you want to decorate the garden with beautiful and durable feeding places for birds, then it is better to spend your time and make a tree feeder.

Bird feeders can be seen in courtyards and parks. If you want to design something special, extraordinary, then we will tell you how to make a bird feeder yourself.

An easy way to feed birds

The feeder can be made from improvised means, for example, take a piece of board, plywood or any flat and durable material at hand and place it higher from the ground. This will keep food available to the birds.

This is a temporary measure, as precipitation may fall or the food will simply be blown away by the wind. But such a feeder can save birds from starvation.

We use plastic bottles

From a plastic bottle, you can build both a very simple and a multifunctional dining room for birds. Consider in more detail some of the ideas of feeders, and their implementation.

Hastily

If you cut a hole on the side of the bottle, then we can say that we have done half the job. Near the neck, you need to make 2 holes with an awl, insert the wire and fix the feeder on a branch of a tree or shrub. If you pour food on the bottom, after a while you can see how birds flock there.

So that moisture does not spoil the food when precipitation gets inside the bottle, drainage holes must be made in the lower part of the container.

We complicate the design

From a plastic bottle, you can make a feeder with a "dispense window". Having picked up a container that is suitable in size, cut a small hole on one side, and pierce the bottle with scissors on the opposite side. Insert a wooden spoon with the handle forward so that it fits snugly into the pierced hole. The spoon should be positioned so that the grains roll into it as the birds peck at the food. The number of spoons involved can be different, but most often there are two.

To hang the bottle, you can pierce the cork with an awl (or nail), thread a nylon thread into it, and tie a knot inside the cork.

How to decorate a gray, unsightly bottle? If desired, you can make the feeder a decoration of any garden.

Feeder on glass

You can make a simple design from a plastic bottle, which will be attached directly to the glass using suction cups. The device of such a feeder is very simple, and for its manufacture you will need only 1 container and 2 suction cups.

A small square or rectangular hole is made with a construction knife. With a soldering iron or a hot gas nail on one side of the bottle, you need to make 2 holes, into which the sucker heads will fit tightly. In our case, the suction cups were with hooks, so we first removed them, and then fixed them with them, inserting them into their places, but already inside the bottle.

The positive aspects include the fact that the birds can be observed, almost close to them approaching. A significant disadvantage is that the birds defecate near the feeder, so the glass and tide will have an unsightly appearance.

Video: making a plastic bottle feeder

Use of glass

Glassware can be used to distribute food to birds. The container must be securely fastened down with the neck at a short distance from any platform. Pour food into this container and set it in place (holding the hole with your finger so that the grains do not spill out). As feed is used up, what is in the bottle will flow to the site.

Video: glass feeder

Other improvised materials

It will not be difficult to come up with a lot of ways in which you can feed the birds.

Tits love not only grains. You can feed such gourmets by hanging a piece of unsalted bacon wrapped in rope or wire on a branch.

If you buy products packaged in nets in supermarkets, then this container can also be used by pouring nuts into it.

From small loose feed, you can mold a ball (adding flour and water) and also hang it in a net. In frosty weather, the food can be mixed with vegetable oil. Milk or sour cream is not suitable for these purposes, since the bird's body does not accept such food.

In order to protect the food from precipitation, you can build a plywood roof.

Pumpkin

A pumpkin feeder can be called waste-free production, as the birds first eat the food, and then the edible "dining room" itself. It is enough to cut holes in the pumpkin and pull out the core.

You can cut the pumpkin in half, thread a rope with a knot tied at the bottom through both halves. To fix it in a disconnected state, you need to install spacers from twigs between the halves. In extreme cases, you can use pencils as coasters. The upper edge of the rope threaded through the pumpkin is tied to a branch, and the feeder is ready to receive feathered guests.

Video: pumpkin feeder

Couch spring

Such things and objects can be used that usually have nowhere else to apply.

If you still have a spring from an old sofa, then you can also use it by holding pieces of bread between the turns. This feeder can be hung both vertically and horizontally.

car air filter

A wire mesh feeder can be seen on the counter of a store, but a similar design can be built from a used paper car air filter.

For manufacturing, you need to cut off the upper part of the filter, and remove the paper filling (it can be done together with the inner or outer mesh, if you do not plan to put food between them). Outside the filter, a wire is tied to the top of the net, which will serve as a loop for hanging the feeder on a tree. Suitable food is poured inside, and the cut off top of the filter can be used as a cover.

To reduce feed loss, a plastic bucket lid can be glued to the bottom of the feeder with hot glue. From the same cover you can make a canopy.

teapot for brewing

If you have an old kettle and it’s a pity to throw it away, but it’s no longer possible to use it for its intended purpose, then you can make a feeder out of it. How to hang it? Drilling a hole in a faience product is a very thankless task, so you can use hot melt adhesive. If there is a hole in the lid, then you need to insert the ends of the rope into it and make a knot inside. For safety, it is better to tie a small washer. Now the lid can be glued to the teapot, the neck of which will now serve as an entrance for the birds.

Looking into the barn or pantry, you can find things that are "hard to carry, but it's a pity to leave." An old metal bread box belongs to the category of those. Great imagination is not required for its placement - he tied a rope and hung it on a branch.

Similarly, you can use an unnecessary plastic container.

Use of various boxes

It will also be easy to make a feeder from a juice or wine box.

One or two windows are cut out in the box so that there is a small bowl for food at the bottom.

When cutting out the window, care can be taken to protect the food from precipitation. For this, a small visor is left, but so that it does not fall and close the entrance, it can be fixed with a nylon thread in the open position.

To make a large cardboard feeder, you need a large box. With a construction knife or scissors, a window of the desired size is cut out in it. If the box is very large, then you can cut out a smaller product from it and wrap it with tape. It is important to realize that such a feeder will last only until the first rain.

Tin box

Often, manufacturers sell products in tin boxes, which can also be used to make a feeder.

In addition to the bank itself, we need:

• metal or plastic chain - 2 m (4 pieces of 0.5 m each);
• detachable ring (used for keys);
• small cotter pin - 8 pcs. (you can do with knitting wire);
• awl;
• alcohol marker;
• wire cutters or scissors for metal;
• ruler;
• pliers.

Now let's start manufacturing.

• As accurately as possible, you need to mark 4 points on the jar and transfer the same marks to the lid.
• According to the marks with an awl, you need to make holes so that a cotter pin passes through them.

• With wire cutters, cut the chain into four pieces of 50 cm.
• Having passed the cotter pin through the last link of the chain, we insert it into the hole and from the inside of the can with pliers we push its ends apart.

• Having measured 15 cm of the chain (starting from the can), we will pass the remaining 4 cotter pins into it and fix the lid with them.
• Now we will pass a detachable ring into the ears of the free ends of the chain.

After hanging the feeder on a branch, look in which direction the box slopes, and pierce it with an awl in the bottom (from the inside) - this will be a drainage hole.

branches

From large branches, you can assemble the original feeder. To complete the work, you will need an ax, a hammer, nails and a little imagination.

Plywood

Plywood products are strong enough, but are afraid of moisture.

A simple version of the feeder consists of just a pallet with sides, two pieces of plywood serving as a roof, and a rope connecting all the parts. To fix the bottom and roof in the desired position, knots are tied on the rope.

If there is a desire and a jigsaw, then you can design a more complex feeder using one of the presented drawings.

Log

When harvesting firewood, logs with a rotten core are found. This piece of the trunk will serve as a base for us. You need to extract the core. Windows are drilled in the hollow trunk or its longitudinal part is cut out. The ends are closed with selected "plaques" sawn off from other trunks. A tree trunk feeder can be found in both horizontal and vertical versions.

For manufacturing you will need:

• self-tapping screws;
• small nails;
• slats.

For the manufacture of the roof and bottom, you can use plastic or HDF (which you can find, since this material is sold only in large sheets).

In the manufacture of any design, it is convenient and practical to use drawings that indicate the dimensions of the parts. We will also use the drawing in order to cut all the blanks to size.

They can be lightly sanded with sandpaper.

First, we will assemble the narrower part of the future feeder, hammering 3 nails on each side.

Then the whole frame is assembled in a similar way. If the nails are short, then you can use 5 pcs.

We will install the frame on the prepared bottom and outline it with a pencil from the outside - so we get the markup along which this part will need to be cut out and then nailed.

In order to fix the upper rails, we use 4 self-tapping screws - 1 pc each. for each attachment point.

From the remaining rails we will make the upper part of the feeder, fastening the parts with self-tapping screws. The final step will be marking, sawing and fixing the roof. The joint of two sheets of roof sheathing can be hidden by nailing a corner rail on top.

There are some points to consider when making and determining the installation location of the feeder:

1. Do not underestimate cats, because they can get to the feeder, and then the birds will fly away or become the prey of a domestic predator.
2. The feeder needs to be made with a large roof, then a lot of precipitation will not get into it.
3. The entrance to the feeder should not be small, as fear may be stronger than hunger, and the birds may not take advantage of your hospitality.
4. The design is best made from moisture-resistant material, then it will last a long time. Other materials must be treated with water-repellent compounds.
5. If the feeder is too light or has a large windage, then it can be turned upside down by a gust of wind. Even a short turn will cause all the feed to be on the ground. Lightweight construction needs to be weighted down.

Photos of original feeders

Video: original ideas brought to life

Drawings and sketches

No matter how warm the winter is, it always becomes a test for birds. There is less and less food every day, and the frosts are getting stronger. In order to support the birds, city dwellers make feeders and hang them in their yards. To make such crafts, you do not need to buy expensive materials and be able to handle a screwdriver. Let's put complex drawings aside and look at how to make a cardboard feeder out of a box.

We make a cardboard feeder with our own hands

Cityscapes without birds seem impossible. We are used to the cheerful trills and chirping of birds. They have become full neighbors for all mankind. By creating a feeder, you will not only give our smaller brothers a chance to survive, but you will also be able to observe their life on your own or with your children.

Basic design rules:

Canteen for birds from a shoebox

In order to make a bird dining room, various cardboard products are suitable. One option available is a shoebox. It has a thick cardboard and a laminated coating that will allow the product to last longer. Laminate does a great job with natural precipitation.

This version of the feeder is easy to make even for children, since most of the constituent parts are already here: roof, walls, bottom. It remains only to cut holes on the sides and thread the nylon cord.

To make a structure from a shoe box, you will need:

• scotch;
• stationery knife;
• thick thread or rope.

Cut holes on the side, insert the cord and fasten it. Put sand or small pebbles on the bottom of the box. This will allow her to become more resistant to wind. Sprinkle food on top. The product can be considered ready.

There is another option how to make a feeder out of such a box. Glue the lid perpendicular to become a stern stand. The second part will serve as a roof or side. Wrap the resulting structure with tape. Using wire, build 2 hooks by bending a piece of wire twice, and pierce the ceiling at the feeder with the ends. Twist the wire and bend from the inside. Now behind these mounts you can hang the structure on tree branches.

Tetrapack bird canteen

Boxes of juice, milk, wine are also suitable for making a feeder. Tetrapacks are a fairly durable material. It can be found in every home. To make such a feeder you will need a few things:

• wire;
• scissors;
• tape on a fabric basis (adhesive plaster can be used);
• marker.

Rinse the box thoroughly. Mark the contours where you need to make holes, any shape you like. They should be of such size that the bird can freely fly into them. Be sure to leave a few centimeters of cardboard underneath. So the food will not spill out on the ground.

After all the holes are cut, glue the edges with adhesive tape. Slightly below the entrances, pierce holes for the wire. Now you can thread a cord through them and later hang the resulting feeder on a tree.

Candy box feeder

Try making a feeder with the kids. It's an easy and fun process. As a basis, you can take a candy box. With its help, build a bird's dining room similar to a hut. For work, you will need a box, scissors, tape or a stapler.

Take the lid from the box. Make cuts in the middle on the sides. Now bend the cover at a right angle. The fold should be on the axis line. When the sides lie on top of each other, secure this position with a stapler. If you strengthen the structure with adhesive tape, then it may lose its shape.

So, we got the roof of the feeder. Now it's time to make the bottom. It needs to be cut out of the box itself and adjusted to the size of the roof. Fasten the top and bottom and thread the rope through the pre-cut holes.

Choose one of the options to do cardboard feeder, and get to work. Get the whole family involved in this. So you will not only help the birds survive the winter, but also have fun with your loved ones. Let the children color or decorate the structure however they like. To do this, it is better to use materials that do not get wet, such as small buttons or plastic flowers.