Cereal bird feeder. Bird feeders. Plastic bottle feeder for birds

Bird feeders in winter help save birds from hunger. However, this is not the only reason it is worth doing their manufacture.

By themselves, beautiful and original feeders can become a unique decoration for your garden.

And the process of their creation instills in the younger generation a sense of responsibility and concern for weak creatures.

In addition, this is an invaluable time that allows parents to spend time with interest and benefit with their children.










Wood Bird Feeders

There are several types of feeders that can be made from wood. Firstly, these are feeders that look like a base made of plywood or other similar material with sides at the edges, preventing the feasts from crumbling.

Most often, this design is suspended from a tree branch on thick ropes.

But such a feeder has a number of disadvantages. The most obvious is that this design does not protect the feed poured into it from rain and weather. It is also light enough and can move or roll over with the wind.

The second version of the tree feeders is more like a house and has a roof. In such feeders the food is reliably protected from the weather. The basis of the design looks the same as in the first version, only on it are the supports that support the roof.

The roof can be either straight or have a pitched construction. Any child can make a direct roof, because in fact it is a rectangular piece of sing plywood, only a little larger than the base.

The pitched roof has a slightly more complicated structure, but it is better in that on it, unlike a straight roof, snow does not accumulate on it and it does not have to be cleaned periodically.

There are also original versions of feeders made of wood. For example, a feeder can be made from ordinary logs. To do this, you will need a chainsaw, a chisel and a hammer, as well as a chain and rings for hanging.

First you need to saw off two logs from the log on both sides of the future feeding trough. Then the wedges are cut along the entire log, and longitudinal and transverse cuts are made, not reaching even the bark of about 5 centimeters.

This is necessary so that later it is easier to remove the middle from the workpiece with a chisel. After all the work has been completed, the previously cut round beads are nailed on both sides of the feeder.

It remains only to screw the rings and attach the chain on which it will be possible to hang the feeder.

Plastic bottle feeders

For feeding birds, plastic bottles are also used as feeders. It can be either 5-6 liter containers or small 1.5-2 liter bottles.

Most often, a plastic bottle is turned into a feeder by cutting several windows in the case.

Then such feeders are suspended horizontally or vertically depending on the design. For the convenience of birds, cross poles are installed near the bottom of the feeder.

But sometimes you can find quite original feeders, which provide for the automatic addition of feed. These are the so-called bunker feeders.

Such a feeder may consist of two wooden spoons inserted obliquely into the through holes in the bottle. Thus, the feed from the bottle will gradually spill out onto the spoon.

A bunker feeder can be made from a 2 liter bottle. To do this, it is enough to cut the bottle in half, make round holes at the bottom, and turn the top over and put the neck down. The top can be covered with a lid or a disposable plate. In such a feeder for a long time it will not be necessary to add food.

Handy materials for creating bird feeders

The simplest feeder that you can think of is a garland of mountain ash, cones or berries. A feast for the birds strung on a rope will decorate young trees in the garden. The only drawback of such a feeder is that as the food is eaten, the garland loses its appearance.

An interesting solution would be the manufacture of feeders in the form of lumps with grain or seeds. Such decorations can be placed on benches, tables or simply hung on trees in nets, which are usually sold in the store tangerines.

They are based on fat or gelatin. Melt the fat and add the main feed to it. Then the finished substance is poured into molds (it can be baking dishes or a regular balloon) and placed in a cold place for solidification.

Also come with dissolved gelatin mixed with grain.

If you have a coconut shell lying around, then it can also be used to make a feeder.

As a result, such a design will be invisible on the tree. Juice or milk boxes are also suitable for making feeders. Their very design will not differ much from simple feeders made of plastic bottles.

Photos of bird feeder ideas

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. Here is this article and will try to arouse in you this desire, thanks to which many birds can comfortably survive the winter.

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

from a plastic bottle and a glass jar

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

It is very good when children are involved in the manufacture - they immediately form such character traits as caring for their neighbor, love for animals, responsibility, interest is shown in crafting, creating something!

From whatever you make your feeder, it is important to know the main (and mandatory) elements of the feeder:

1. Your feeding trough must be with a roof - this way the food will remain dry and will not be covered with snow, and the bird will be able to enjoy your treats easily and simply;
  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 will arrive at your “bird canteen” for lunch? It is important to take care of such an option;
  3. When choosing material for the 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 the 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, lay a piece of plywood, linoleum (strictly to the size of the bottom) on its bottom.

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

This feeder looks great and, at the same time, copes with its functions 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 in raw form, since fried only will harm little 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 feeding trough. Hearts, stars, triangles, circles, squares - any geometric shapes will look beautiful;
  2. Scissor the paper blank and attach it to the thick cardboard. Circle with a pencil and carefully cut along the contour;
  3. Take care in advance of the preparation of bird food. Pick up unroasted and unsalted grains, all kinds of bread crumbs;
  4. Using a needle and dense kapron thread, make a hole in the cardboard base and thread the thread into it - with its help this “delicacy” will be attached to the tree branch;
  5. So that the grains and crumbs stick together and firmly attach to the cardboard base, start preparing natural glue:

  • 2 tbsp. tablespoons of oatmeal (in no case oatmeal);
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon flowing 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 in the obtained crumb-grain mixture our base coated with “glue”;
  9. Ready-made grain feeders must be put in the refrigerator for several hours - the mass must be well frozen and acquire the necessary strength;
  10. Hang on the branches of trees such delicious “treats” and watch from afar the feast of birds that flew in to treat themselves and feast on!

Dissolve one bag of gelatin in warm water;
  Pour all kinds of grains into a still warm solution;
  Prepare the usual cookie cutters, put the thread in them and pour the resulting grain mixture;
  Send molds with contents in the refrigerator for thickening;
  Tasty toys are ready, you can safely hang them on the branches of trees!

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

A regular cardboard box can serve as a dining room for birds! However, it is advisable to select boxes covered with a special protective layer, a laminate - so the life of your feeder will increase significantly!

Boxes from juices are ideal (they are coated with a special moisture-proof layer both inside and outside), from small appliances, medium boxes from mail parcels, and bright candy boxes. Even shoe boxes will do a great job of feeding!

Candy Box Bird Feeder

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

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

Pass the string through the roof of the feeder, with the second string firmly attach your feeder to the tree.

candy box

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

Even a child can cope with the manufacture of such a feeder (by the way, do not forget to attract children to this entertaining lesson).

You will need:
  Box of juice or milk;
  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.

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

Rather, fill up bird food - they have already discovered a new feeding trough and are waiting for your treat with all their might!

If you want to make a feeder large enough. To fit a whole flock of birds into it - take a regular mail parcel box! Carefully glue the top with tape, cut wide holes in the side groans, fix it on a tree - you're done! Look what happened:

That's where there is a soul to turn around! Around is full of all kinds of plastic bottles of various shapes and colors! There is a huge opportunity to show your creativity, fiction, originality!

Let's take a closer look at the idea of \u200b\u200bturning 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) we 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. With a strong wire, wrap around the neck of the bottle and fix the other end of the wire on a tree branch;
  4. Put plywood or a piece of linoleum at the bottom of the feeder, with their help we will make our feeder heavier and it will not swing and roll over with every breath of air;
  5. Pour bird food and wait for the “guests” you have invited!

Plastic bottle feeder with spoons

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

You will need such materials:
  1.5-2 liter plastic bottle;
  Wire;
  Sharp knife or scissors;
  Two wooden spoons for coasters;
  Food for birds.

Step-by-step instruction:
  1. Take a plastic bottle with a capacity of 2 liters, measure with a ruler from the bottom of the bottle 15 cm and make a through hole for a wooden spoon at this height in the very center of the bottle;
  2. Rise even higher (approximately in the middle of the bottle) and make another through hole for the second spoon. Only at a different angle (perpendicular to already existing holes);
  3. Insert the spoon through the bottle;
  4. Increase 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 bird food into the bottle;
  6. Wire the neck of the bottle and securely attach it to the branches of the tree.
  The feeder is ready! A few minutes later it will be visited by those who wish to treat themselves to birds.

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, and instead prepare them for 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 for the birds to sit comfortably on the cut edges of the bottle, paste the slices with tape or tape (your choice). We wrap the wire around the neck of the bottle and screw it to a tree branch. Pour food - everything is ready!

DIY wooden bird feeder

We have already considered quite a lot of different options for bird feeders, made from all kinds of improvised tools and even waste. It will be completely wrong if a reliable and durable wood feeder is left without attention - these are the feeders that hung on trees in our childhood. It was them who were taught by our Trudoviks to make us at labor lessons!

Recall the manufacturing technology and - for the cause!

To begin with, let's fantasize and draw a little! Armed with a sheet of paper and a pencil, draw such a feeding trough, which you plan to do. Seeing her on paper. Estimate the size of the future bird's "dining room". Only then can we begin to manufacture the feeders.

As an option, use ready-made drawings that are presented at the very beginning of this article. The sizes are already indicated there, the contours are clearly outlined - you can safely proceed to the next events.

To make a wooden feeding trough, you definitely need the following tools:
  1. Hacksaw;
  2. The hammer;
  3. Nails.
  Prepare such materials in advance:
  Plywood of the right size;
  Bars 2x2 cm;
  Thin wooden board for the base of the feeder.

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

1. From a thin wooden board (solid) cut out a rectangular base of the desired size;
  2. Now go to the plywood sheet and cut out a rectangle from it 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 drain smoothly on 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 with the nails of the rack, 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, pour food, and admire a fun bird feast! Do not forget to take pictures - the memory will remain for life. There will be something for the grandchildren to show and what to make with them!
  In no case do we paint the feeder with paint or varnish - birds cannot tolerate such smells and will not visit the painted feeder with their presence!

Which food is good for birds, and which vice versa 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 - and even lead to the death of the bird, but the third - will certainly help the bird to survive in a cold and hungry bench and survive until the long-awaited spring!

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

  • Crumbs from fresh white bread;
  • Rye bread crumbs;
      Skins of bananas and all kinds of citrus fruits;
      Cream cakes, cakes;
      Crisps;
      Fried and salted seeds;
      Oat flakes;
      Nuts.

How can and should be treated to feathered:

  • Raw seeds;
  • Buckwheat, millet, oats, millet;
  • Crumbs and small pieces of stale white rolls;
  • Dried and chopped fruits (dried fruits);
  • Titmouse is very fond of small cubes of unsalted fat;
  • For red-faced bullfinches, put mountain ash, viburnum in the trough.

A few more photos of the original feeders:

Thanks to your attention and care in winter, there will be a real chance to survive a greater number of birds, which, in turn, will thank you later with their songs and “sanitary and health” work in your garden!

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

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Making a bird feeder with your own hands is a fascinating and useful thing, especially if the kids are helping you. Indeed, it is very difficult for our feathered friends to survive the winter cold. Sad statistics show that out of 10 birds, only 2 birds survive to sunny spring days. And, having placed the original bird feeder with your own hands in the square, park or on your own personal plot, you will save more than one bird life from hunger.

How to make a bird feeder with your own hands?

Arranging feeding place for birds  in your garden or summer cottage, you kill two birds with one stone: save birds from hunger in the winter and protect your crops from numerous pests in the summer. Our feathered brothers are effective fighters against midges and other harmful insects. Pichugs will delight you with cheerful chirping, jolly trills or funny games and bustle near food, and all this is fascinating to watch.

Having shown a little imagination and made an original bird feeder with your own hands from improvised materials, you will decorate your garden with an unusual accessory! So what you need to have on hand, how to make a bird feeder with your own hands? Materials may come in empty cans, corks from wine bottles, plastic cans and bottles, trimming branches, unnecessary pieces of plywood, ruberoid and boards, unused utensils (cups and saucers, mugs, teapots, decorative glass bottles), metal or nylon mesh and other home trash. For fastening and decoration, rope, fishing line, various chains, ribbons and nylon ribbons, wire will fit.

Despite the variety of materials, all designs can be conditionally divided into four groups:

  1. Strong and durable birdhouses similar to birdhouses made of wood.
  2. "Disposable" feeders from cardboard boxes do not require any costs, but they will not last long.
  3. Easy to manufacture, designs from plastic cans, cans or bottles.
  4. Feed suspended on threads.

What to use for top dressing?

Experiencing a significant lack of food in the cold months, pichugs with great pleasure peck everything that you offer them. For complementary foods, use any ground cereals: buckwheat, rice, oats, millet and millet - everything will be eaten. Grind any nuts and grains, add some honey to the seeds of pumpkin, melon, watermelon, quinoa, thistle, hemp, sunflower, quinoa.

In the blue bird feeder put small pieces of bacon  or chicken, boiled and finely chopped egg. Any dry berries and fruits, especially viburnum and mountain ash clusters, will not go unnoticed.

When arranging a dining room for birds, one should not forget to regularly fill the feeder with nutritious mixture, since birds, getting used to feeding in one place, are ready to fly quite a long distance for food. And not finding food in the usual place, tired and hungry, can die. Do not use rye bread, roasted nuts, cereals, grains and seeds, salted foods, citrus fruits, fresh rolls for bait. Such foods will harm birds.

Selecting material for the manufacture of feeders, you need provide a few points:

How to make a bird feeder affordable and safe?

You need to position the feeders in open, well visible areas, i.e. in places accessible to birds. In dense branches, heavily flushed areas or in places where cats can get to, feeding places for birds should not be organized. Bird feeders mounted on a tree trunk or branch, or on the walls of farm buildings at a height of about one and a half meters, are easily accessible for birds, it’s convenient to add food to them and they are not accessible to domestic predators.

Most of us present a bird feeder as a small house or birdhouse. This form is the ideal solution for organizing bird catering.

Whatever material you choose the design must include:

Lightweight bird feeders made of plastic or cardboard, easy to weight, laying on the bottom a piece of unnecessary linoleum or plywood.

The most original bird feeders are cereals

To make it, you will need a mixture of raw grains, seeds, nuts and breadcrumbs. We will make the basis of the feeder with our own hands from thick cardboard and kapron thread, using scissors and a thick needle. Adhesive base prepared from oatmealmixed with egg and honey, or from gelatin. Mix 2 tablespoons of oatmeal (not cereal), 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of honey, leave for 30-40 minutes. At this time, we cut out the base for the feeder in the form of hearts, stars, any other geometric shapes from cardboard.

To attach a delicious treat to the branches, use a thick needle to thread a thread, lace, braid or ribbon through an opening in a cardboard blank. We put the swollen sticky mass on the base and roll in the prepared cereal mixture. We place in the refrigerator for freezing and after a few hours the feast for the birds is ready!

With a gelatin base, the manufacturing process is even simpler. The prepared nutrient mixture is mixed with a warm gelatin solution and poured into silicone baking molds. Having put a loop for fastening on branches, we send to freeze in the refrigerator.

The original solution for this kind of feeding will be old dishes. The food prepared in any way is left to solidify in mugs or a teapot that has become unusable. We fasten the fixing thread to the handle of the product. We hang out delicious treats on the trees and observe the feast of birds.

Cardboard box feeder

How to make a do-it-yourself feeder out of the box from chocolates or a parcel, milk or juice. Having put the edges of the three candy boxes into each other in the form of a triangle, we glue or use tape, we pass any lace or tape through the roof and fasten it on a tree. The feeder is ready. Constructs from packages from any drinks will last a little longer, since they have a laminated layer inside and out, moisture proof. A knife or scissors cut out the entrance, a round or square hole in one of the sides, dumb above the bottom of the box. A rope for hanging on a tree is attached to the upper part. The feeder is ready in a few minutes.

Similarly, you can make a do-it-yourself feeder from plastic containers: bottles, cans, cans.

It is easier to fix the plastic feeder with a wire. And to protect the birds from injury, glue the inlet with tape or tape. From plastic bottles, spending a little more time, you can make an elementary hopper feeder. For this, two through holes are made in a one and a half or two-liter bottle: the first at a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom and the second in the center of the tank, perpendicular to the first. Two wooden spoons are inserted into these holes. From the wide side of the hole spoons expand to feed. Through the neck of the bottle, the feed is conveniently poured into the feeder, under the weight of the grain mixture of the plastic feeder, wind gusts are not terrible, the feed remains dry and accessible for birds for a long time.

Insulating from the inside, with yarn or sisal, one and a half or two-liter containers, you will know how to make a birdhouse from a bottle.

A little more time and skill will be required to make plywood bird feeders.

It can be with a gable or flat roof, open or with a hopper compartment. To make even the simplest feeder, like a birdhouse, you will need a drawing, which can be found on the Internet or calculate the design yourself. Of the tools needed: a hammer, jigsaw, nails, glue, sandpaper. In addition to plywood, a block is required.

Procedure

A plywood feeder is hung for a rope threaded under the roof or a hook screwed into the roof. The service life of this design will last if it varnish or oil paint.

Classic dining room made of wood

However, with a little imagination and ingenuity, you can create a real masterpiece!

Of the tools you will need at least: a hammer and nails, screws and a screwdriver. Trimming boards can be combined with a croaker or branches, preserving the bark of a tree, small twigs or straw originally decorate the plywood roof of the feeder. The roof of the wooden feeder can be mounted both on four supporting posts, and on two flat supports located opposite each other. In addition, a two-pole feeding trough can be two-level or bunker. And, having certain skills and appropriate equipment, the sides of the dining room-birdhouse can be made of any shape.

The manufacture of a double-walled feeder does not require an accurate drawing of a bird feeder and adherence to exact dimensions. But there is unlimited scope for creative thought.

The assembly of the structure takes place in the same sequence as the plywood feeder. The bottom is fastened with supports, then the sidewalls and the roof. Since the bird feeder made of wood is quite heavy and strong, it can be installed both on a support post and suspended by a wire or rope on tree branches.

For the convenience of small birds, bluebirds and sparrows, thin twigs-twigs can be attached parallel to the sidewalls. And having cut round the “windows” in the walls and threaded a knitting needle or metal pin into them, it becomes possible to diversify the feathered table with apples, pieces of pumpkin or lard.

The ideal solution for “remote” food outlets, especially near birdhouses, is dispenser mounted inside a double-walled structure. One of the hopper options is with glass or plastic sides. On the inner side of the walls, vertical grooves are cut, not reaching the bottom about a centimeter, into which the sides of glass or plastic are inserted. The food will wake up through the gap as it is eaten by birds.

A simpler manger in which a hopper is a plastic bottle. Cut from both ends, with the help of a wire, it is suspended in the center of the feeder a couple of centimeters above the bottom. For the convenience of filling the hopper with nutrient mixture, the lid of the feeder is removable.

Unable to often replenish provisions in the feeder, the filled hopper will well preserve bird delicacies and allow birds to remain full for a long time.

By placing a birdhouse made of improvised materials near the dining room, you will provide tits and other small birds and housing and food.

What would you not choose the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a feeder with your own hands, the birds will certainly be grateful to you! Having tested your strength in the manufacture of the feeder, you can make a birdhouse with your own hands from improvised materials.

Bird feeders















Although winter in recent years does not differ in severe temper, food for birds is still not enough at this time of year. Feathered birds willingly flock to the proposed treat, and you can watch the titmouse, bullfinches, and sparrows around for hours.

This is especially fascinating for children. I still remember my own childhood impressions: I couldn’t tear me from the window. Dad then made a small, simple wooden feeding trough from slats and scraps of plywood, and near her sparrows always curled up, sometimes bullfinches flew in. And for the blue we hung a piece of fresh bacon. Last year, I myself tried to build something similar, but my carpentry and carpentry skills were not enough - it turned out to be something not very durable and slightly kosoboky.

The easiest way, of course, is to use the well-known option - cut the feeder out of a cardboard bag (from milk or juice) or a plastic bottle:


A plastic bottle feeder is probably the easiest option

1. Roofless feeder - the simplest design

To make a roof for the “bird's dining room”, in my opinion, is the most difficult part of the work. So, if you, like me, are not sure of your building skills, you can try first to offer feathered guests of the garden a treat for plain wooden tray.


A wooden feeder without a roof is not very practical, but very simple

A piece of plywood, four thin cubes as sides (so that the grain does not blow off the wind) and a rope for fastening on a branch - the feeder is ready! And a very simple option is to fix an ordinary plastic tray on some stable surface (they often pack candies, cookies, vegetables in stores):


Plastic tray feeder is extremely easy to manufacture

Big minus  such a feeder - it is not protected from snowfalls and winds. So this is rather not a “dining room”, but a small “buffet” for birds. It will be suitable as a temporary “feeding point” - if you are in the country very rarely in the winter, and there is still no one to fill the feeder regularly.

2. Wooden flat roof feeder

This option is more complicated, but not by much. With the task of attaching four columns to the base of the feeder - supports under the roof - even I successfully coped. Then it remains only to pound or fix with screws on top another piece of plywood (it is better if it will be a little larger in size than the base of the feeder). Such an elementary roof will serve as a small, but nevertheless shelter from snow and rain.


It’s not too difficult to make a flat roof, and this is already some kind of protection against precipitation

Minus design: on a flat roof, the snow lingers, the feeder may become too heavy and break or break off the branch on which you fastened it. So it is better to hoist it on a strong pole or other reliable support, and periodically clean snow from the roof.

3. Cones, berries, sunflowers ...

I personally really liked this idea, although now it can be implemented only if there are suitable stocks in the house:



Many birds will appreciate cones with seeds.

Since autumn, we have rowanberry beads hanging in the house - Alenka made from ripe berries. I think such a treat to the birds will also be to taste. And next season we’ll prepare more thoroughly.

4. Avoska with provisions

Another simple and easy to implement idea. True, lately something like these nets have rarely come across to me (we used to sell tangerines in them), but I think if you search, there will be.


And then it’s very easy (well, if you believe what I read in different sources). If someone tried to make such a feeder, please share your impressions: how simple, convenient and how birds relate to such a treat.

So, the grain (or grain mixture) is well mixed with melted lard ( by no means salty!) or peanut butter. A ball rolls from the mixture, placed in a grid and suspended. All! Fat freezes in the cold and keeps food, which the birds then gradually peck. I came across an option without a fatty “filler”:


Avoska with bird food

True, here the food is large, as it seems to me - not every bird can cope with such a treat. But maybe I'm wrong. Another way to "improve" the mesh feeder is the roof. Yes, the most caring can protect both feed and feathered guests from the weather. So, for example:


Idea for the skillful and caring: net with feed under the roof

And with the help of a net you can organize a real dining room for birds, almost a restaurant. With a large assortment of dishes - as in the following photo. This idea seemed to me worth attention too, and you?


With the help of nets you can organize a real bird "restaurant" with a large selection of dishes

Mesh feeders  it’s also convenient because it’s more difficult to attach to big cheeky birds like forty and daws. For us, for example, this is really a problem: only you sprinkle cereals into the trough - magpies immediately appear near it; they drive bluebirds and sparrows, and it is more difficult to feed small birds in the winter with food. Therefore, I purposefully look for options that would be suitable specifically for these birds. Here is another find ...

5. Coconut feeder

If the farm accidentally littered coconut, then, using its intended purpose, the shell can be used as a feeder.


If coconut is littered on the farm, you can also make a feeder out of it

True, as far as I know, it is very solid, and dealing with it is not so easy, but if it doesn’t scare you, take a closer look at the better idea. A natural, environmentally friendly feeder and birds will delight, and the garden will decorate. It is more convenient to fill it with the same mixture of fat and grain that was prepared for the feeding grid. And it’s not necessary to hollow out the holes in the whole nut - you can use half of the coconut shell.

6. Mesh feeders

Such designs can often be found in stores, but for a good master, I think it will not be difficult to make such a feeder with your own hands, especially since the material is quite affordable.


The size of the structure and construction details is at your discretion. However, the feeder should obviously not be too large in diameter. But its height, perhaps, should be done and more - so that several birds could feed at once. Of course, the roof will be needed (removable - to fill the grain inside) and the base - so that the feed does not spill out.

And here is another metal mesh feeder I liked - but this, perhaps, is already for master virtuosos. But the idea is good!


Tit Feeder Bowl

However, if you look closely, perhaps such a "ball" can not only be built from metal wire. I think those who can

Wild animals and birds that live in nature cannot rely on someone to help them in the winter in the same way as their domesticated "brethren." Nevertheless, many people understand this and try to provide all possible assistance during the winter cold.

Benefit to both you and the feathered

Caring people understand well how difficult this time is for our smaller brothers, since already starting in late autumn, many of them are finding it harder to find food. Of course, with all the desire, it’s not so easy to help those of them who live in the forest or in a remote area. However, if you live in a city, town or village, then everything is in your power. Today we’ll talk about bird feeders. It is quite possible to make them, moreover, we are talking about the use of improvised means, old packaging and containers, as well as other materials that, in any case, would most likely be dumped in a landfill.

By the way, having "accustomed" the birds in their feeder located on the site, in addition to the feeling that you are helping them, saving them from hunger during the difficult time of the year, you get peculiar additional "bonuses":

  • Birds will get used to your site and begin to live more often on it and next to it. Thus, they will constantly delight you with their games, vanity and twitter, filling the surrounding space with vital energy.
  • Quite often, it happens that in the summer, birds return a kind of debt to you, destroying the numerous insects and pests that live in almost every garden or vegetable garden.

Wood is a reliable material!

In today's article, we presented a photo of many options that will help with ideas on how to make a bird feeder with your own hands. As a rule, in order to implement the project of such a feeder, you will not need complex projects and drawings.

Attention! You can feed birds not only in winter, but also in summer, especially if you live in a country house or in a private house.

Before considering the basic ideas of making feeders, let's talk about some features of the choice of material, as well as about places where you can hang or attach such a home-made design.

The choice of material and place for installation

Before choosing a place for feeding, it will be very useful to learn the most common species of birds that live in our latitudes.

1. Nuthatch; 2. pika; 3. small spotted woodpecker; 4. whip; 5. jay; 6. pine nut or nut; 7. bullfinch; 8. waxwing; 9. common oak; 10. goldfinch; 11. siskin; 12. common oatmeal; 13. greenfinch; 14. big tit; 15. titmouse blue tit; 16. crested tit; 17. tit-Muscovite; 18. long-tailed tit; 19. titmouse.

It is traditionally believed that a bird feeder should have the form of a kind of house, which would be somewhat similar to a birdhouse. And in fact, this configuration is optimal in order to organize there a place for feeding birds. Consider the advantages of this form:

  • The roof allows you to create protection from rain and snow.
  • This design, made of plywood or wood, is strong, durable and reliable.
  • It will not look alien, since we are talking about landscape design and the external attractiveness of the entire site.

Nevertheless, one should not be limited only to this form, as well as to the fact that only wood can be used as material. In fact, both the configuration and the material can be completely different.

The main thing is that the feeder meets the basic requirements:

  1. The material from which the feeder is made must be stable and not deformed over time. In other words, a birdhouse made of cardboard or similar improvised means is not good. It simply can not withstand difficult weather conditions: rain, wet snow, etc.
  2. At the same time, you can, in extreme cases, make a small feeding trough from a package of juice or dairy products (kefir, milk, etc.). Tetra Pak and similar cardboard packaging are much more suitable than ordinary cardboard for moisture. However, such designs cannot be attributed to durable. On the other hand, they are quite suitable as a temporary solution, which, under favorable circumstances, can serve you for a whole season. It should be understood that the feeder from the milk bag will fit only for small birds, since large ones simply cannot fit in it.
  3. By the way, the following conclusion follows from the previous paragraph: the material must be strong and stable, since it must withstand not only the autumn-winter inclement weather, but also the weight of the birds themselves, some of which are quite massive. In addition, keep in mind that wear will also occur due to the constant impact of their claws, since they will usually sit in a cut-out opening (“window”).
  4. By the way, since we talked about the window, the entrance (this technological hole can be called, in fact, whatever), you need to understand that its edges should not be sharp, because, otherwise, the birds can hurt their paws about them.

Location

In addition to the material, as well as manufacturing technology, you must understand that the place where you install or hang the bird feeder is also an important point. So, if possible, it is necessary to avoid installation in those places in which the birds will have difficulties with access. We are talking about dense branches and other similar places.

In addition, pay attention to the fact that the feeder is located in a place inaccessible to cats, which, as you know, are excellent hunters, in large numbers living in villages, at dachas, as well as in cottages and private housing estates.

Advice! Place the feeder in an open space, in places clearly visible to birds.

Popular ideas

Let's look at the basic ideas of how to make a bird feeder with your own hands, looking at the “live” examples of how many people implemented their projects. There can be many feeders, and there are countless options for their manufacture. However, they are all made for one purpose. So, here are the main types of structures of this kind.

A dispenser is a very useful device for feeding birds. In addition, the bottle can be hung vertically “upside down”

Tree house

To make such a design is quite realistic and independent. There is no need to have any specific skills or knowledge. As a rule, at such works improvised or unnecessary boards, pieces of logs and many other wooden elements are used. Taking the plank or veneer as the basis, the main task is to securely connect them.

By the way, wooden bird feeders can be used not only for feeding domestic birds. Similar designs are used in chicken coops, when feeding chickens and other poultry. However, this, as they say, is a completely different story.

Plywood feeder


  This design can be made with your own hands right at home. You do not need any special tools or conditions for this. In this case, of course, you have to find drawings of the feeders. On the other hand, you can make a drawing with dimensions yourself, since there is nothing particularly complicated in its development. For additional ideas, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with photos and examples of finished works.

Hopper feeder

This type of construction, so to speak, “migrated” from agriculture. One of its main advantages is that it eliminates the “discrimination” of some bird species by others. You yourself probably noticed that often a flock of birds alone, for example, sparrows or tits, occupies an advantageous position in the immediate vicinity of food (seeds, crumbs of bread, grain, cereals, a loaf, etc.) or even in the feeding trough itself prevent other birds from being so valuable.


  Therefore, an important task is to limit the area on which feathered friends can feed. Therefore, in such cases, homemade bunker feeders, also known as anti-fungi, can come in handy.

Plastic bottle feeders

Canister feeder is also a great option

This type of design is extremely simple, so everyone, including children, can make it on their own. In order to make it, you only need to cut one or two holes in the bottle in order to fill the bird food inside, and, in fact, so that the birds have the opportunity to get inside. Of course, one must be careful in this case, since the holes should be as smooth and symmetrical as possible.

Interesting! If you have the time and desire, the feeder can be additionally decorated with natural materials, or inscribed.

Let's take a closer look at the features of the work in the presence of bottles of different volumes. The fact is that the most common source materials in such cases are:

So, if you use the first option, then you can stop your choice on two types of designs. In the first case, it is about making holes on both sides of the bottle. They can have different shapes: round, rectangular or square.

In the second case, you can make a special visor that would cover the hole, protecting it from snow. In order to make it, you just need to cut through the U-shaped hole, leaving one side (top). After this, this section of the bottle bends upward, thus forming a kind of visor. This, by the way, can also be done on both sides.

For the convenience of the birds, you can make two small holes under the main openings and insert a long stick into them, which they could sit on before getting inside. As for the lower edge of the main holes, for greater security it is advisable to glue it with tape or tape in several layers. A tissue adhesive patch is also suitable. Thus, a do-it-yourself feeder is made from plastic containers of a relatively small volume.

Even easier, you can make a feeder from a 5-liter bottle. The fact is that the walls are often straight, which allows you to cut a more even hole. Plus, in such a container more seeds and crushed loaf are placed, and it is more convenient for the birds to fly inside. For the manufacture you need a knife or strong scissors.

If the plastic bottle will be attached horizontally, then the holes can be cut in place of the bottom and neck. If you plan to fix it vertically, then you can cut 2, 3 or even 4 holes from different sides, if you are working with a bottle that has a square or rectangular section. This, by the way, will allow several birds to fly and eat at once. For round bottles you can cut 2-3 holes. By the way, on the basis of a large bottle with a volume of 5 liters and above, you can also make a hopper feeder.

On a note! Holes are preferably cut at a height of at least 5 centimeters from the bottom, you can slightly more.

Such a feeding trough is mounted quite simply: you can tie it either by the neck or by the handle, which is an integral part of the lid, using twine or thin wire. This is about vertical options. With horizontal fixation, it is best to make 2 parallel small holes (they can be made with a knife or other sharp object), passing through them a wire or rope, which is necessary for fastening.

In any case, this option is very affordable, since almost everyone has unnecessary 5-liter water bottles at their disposal. The sample photos show various options for how this can be done.

Bird feeder from a bag of milk or juice

5 minutes - and a new feeder from the juice bag - is ready

Boxes of juice or milk are available to everyone. We, as a rule, throw them out. The manufacturing technology is extremely simple, and in some way resembles the previous one (with plastic bottles). So, if you want to make a bird feeder from a bag of juice or milk, the sequence of your actions may be as follows:

  • We mark future holes using a pen, marker or felt-tip pen.
  • Carefully cut them using scissors or a sharp knife.
  • We glue the underside of the opening with tape or adhesive tape.
  • Make small holes for the rope or wire at the top of the bag.
  • We hang the resulting feeding trough to a tree branch, lilac or to other places.

The easiest and fastest option from the milk package

By the way, in some cases, you can put a sinker on the bottom or attach a weight to it in the form of a fragment of brick or something similar. This will minimize rocking in the event of strong winds. This applies not only to paper boxes, but also to plastic bottles.

Remember! In some cases, you can attach the feeder to the wall.

We use a box of shoes

By the way, a bird feeder is made in a similar way from a shoe box. Of course, the fact that it is made of cardboard does not allow making such a feeder durable. On the other hand, part of the boxes are made of cardboard that is sufficiently strong and resistant to moisture. Moreover, you can additionally tape the cardboard with tape, which will further increase its protection against the effects of bad weather conditions. This will to some extent extend the life of the feeder, although, in any case, it will not be as durable as its counterparts in wood, cardboard and even plastic.

The manufacturing technology itself is extremely simple and does not require any special instructions. You just need to make the necessary slots on the sides of the box, and also fix the lid. This can also be done with adhesive tape.

Other options

Of course, all these types of feeders are the most common and popular. Nevertheless, it makes sense to talk about alternative options. The first of these is a feeding trough made from tableware.

By the way! You can make a drinker out of dishes, which is also very important for birds.

Such original products are made from cups and saucers. If you add a deep plate, then you can make both a feeder and a drinker. Some craftsmen make feeders from old buckets, usually plastic ones. They turn out to be large, which somewhat limits the possibilities for their installation, which, of course, is a definite drawback. The advantage is the same: the size of such a product is large enough. This allows you to pour more feed. In addition, several birds can feed at the same time. We must not forget about the strength of this design.

 

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