How to make a feeder out of polystyrene foam. DIY bird feeder. Video: pumpkin feeder

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Making a bird feeder with your own hands is a fun and rewarding activity, especially if you have kids helping you. After all, surviving the winter cold is very difficult for our feathered friends. Sad statistics show that out of 10 birds, only 2 birds survive to see spring sunny days. And by placing an original bird feeder with your own hands in a public garden, park or on your own personal plot, you will save more than one bird’s life from hunger.

How to make a bird feeder with your own hands?

Arranging food station for birds in your garden or summer cottage, you kill two birds with one stone: you relieve birds from hunger in the winter and protect your harvest from numerous pests in the summer. Our feathered brothers are effective fighters against midges and other harmful insects. Birdies will delight you with cheerful chirping, loud trills or funny games and fuss around food, and all this is fascinating to watch.

By showing a little imagination and making an original bird feeder with your own hands from scrap materials, you will decorate your garden with an extraordinary accessory! So what do you need to have on hand to make your own bird feeder? Materials that can be used are empty cans, wine bottle caps, plastic cans and bottles, cuttings of branches, unnecessary pieces of plywood, roofing felt and boards, unused dishes (cups and saucers, mugs, teapots, decorative glass bottles), metal or nylon mesh and other household rubbish. For fastening and decoration, rope, fishing line, various chains, ribbons and nylon tapes, and wire will do.

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

1. Sturdy and durable birdhouse-like feeders made of wood.
2. “Disposable” feeders made from cardboard boxes do not require any costs, but they will not last long.
3. Easy to manufacture, designs made from plastic cans, cans or bottles.
4. Feed suspended on threads.

What to use for feeding?

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

At the titmouse feeder add small pieces of lard or chicken, boiled and finely chopped egg. Any dry berries and fruits will not be left without attention, especially viburnum and rowan bunches.

When setting up a dining room for birds, you must not forget to regularly fill the feeder with a nutrient 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, they may die. Do not use rye bread, roasted nuts, cereals, grains and seeds, salty foods, citrus fruits, or fresh rolls for bait. Such products will harm birds.

When selecting material for making a feeder, you need consider a few points:

How to make a bird feeder accessible and safe?

Feeders need to be placed in open, easily visible areas, that is, in places accessible to birds. Bird feeding areas should not be provided in dense branches, highly windy areas, or in areas where cats can reach. Bird feeders, mounted on a tree trunk or branch, or on the walls of outbuildings at a height of about one and a half meters, are easily accessible to birds, it is convenient to add food to them and they are inaccessible to domestic predators.

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

Whatever material you choose, the design must include:

Lightweight bird feeders made of plastic or cardboard can be easily weighed down by placing a piece of unnecessary linoleum or plywood on the bottom.

The most original bird feeders are grain ones

To make it you will need a mixture of raw grains, seeds, nuts and bread crumbs. We will make the base of the feeder with our own hands from thick cardboard and nylon thread, using scissors and a thick needle. Adhesive backing made from oatmeal, mixed 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 from cardboard in the form of hearts, stars, and any other geometric shapes.

To attach the delicious treat to the branches, use a thick needle to thread a thread, lace, braid or ribbon through a hole in the cardboard blank. Apply the swollen adhesive mass to the base and roll it in the prepared grain mixture. Place in the refrigerator to harden and after a few hours the treat for the birds is ready!

With a gelatin base, the manufacturing process is even simpler. Mix the finished nutrient mixture with a warm gelatin solution and pour into silicone baking molds. Having inserted a loop for fastening on the branches, we send it to harden in the refrigerator.

An original solution for such feeding would be old dishes. We leave the food prepared in any way to harden in mugs or a teapot that has become unusable. We tie the fastening thread to the handle of the product. We hang treats on the trees and watch the birds feast.

Cardboard box feeder

How to make a feeder with your own hands from a candy box or parcel, milk or juice. Having placed the edges of three candy boxes inside each other in the form of a triangle, we glue or use tape, thread any lace or ribbon through the roof and fasten it to the tree. The feeder is ready. Designs made from bags of any drinks will last a little longer, since they have a laminated layer inside and outside, moisture-proof. Using a knife or scissors, cut out an entrance, a round or square hole in one of the sides, slightly above the bottom of the box. A rope is attached to the top for hanging on a tree. The feeder is ready in a few minutes.

Similarly, you can make a feeder with your own hands from plastic containers: bottles, canisters, cans.

It is easier to secure a plastic feeder with wire. And to protect the birds from injury, seal the entrance hole with tape or tape. With a little more time, you can make a basic bunker feeder from plastic bottles. To do 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 container, perpendicular to the first. Two wooden spoons are inserted into these holes. Holes on the wide side of the spoons expand to release feed. It is convenient to pour food into the feeder through the neck of the bottle; under the weight of the grain mixture, the plastic feeder is not afraid of gusts of wind, the food remains dry and accessible to the birds for a long time.

Having insulated a one and a half or two liter container from the inside with yarn or sisal, you will know how to make a birdhouse from a bottle.

A little more time and skill will be required to make a bird feeder from plywood.

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

Procedure

The plywood feeder is hung by a rope threaded under the roof or a hook screwed into the roof. The service life of such a structure will be extended if it is coat with varnish or oil paint.

Classic dining room made of wood

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

The minimum tools you will need are: a hammer and nails, self-tapping screws and a screwdriver. Cutting boards can be combined with slabs or branches, preserving the tree bark; small twigs or straw will decorate the plywood roof of the feeder in an original way. The roof of a wooden feeder can be mounted either on four support posts or on two flat supports located opposite each other. In addition, a feeder with two supports can be two-level or bunker. And, having certain skills and appropriate equipment, the sides of the birdhouse dining room can be made of any shape.

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

The assembly of the structure occurs in the same sequence as the plywood feeder. The bottom is fastened to the supports, then the sides and the roof. Since the bird feeder made of wood is quite heavy and durable, it can be installed either on a support pole or by hanging it from a wire or rope on tree branches.

For the convenience of small birds, titmice and sparrows, thin branches-perches can be attached parallel to the sides. And by cutting out round “windows” in the walls and threading a knitting needle or metal pin through them, it becomes possible to diversify the birds’ table with apples, pieces of pumpkin or lard.

The ideal solution for “remote” food points, especially near birdhouses, is dispenser installed inside a double-walled structure. One of the bunker options is with glass or plastic sides. On the inside of the walls, vertical grooves are cut, not reaching the bottom by about a centimeter, into which side panels made of glass or plastic are inserted. The food will spill out through the gap as the birds eat it.

A feeder that is easier to make, in which a plastic bottle serves as a hopper. Cut off at both ends, it is hung with wire in the center of the feeder a couple of centimeters above the bottom. To make it easier to fill the hopper with nutrient mixture, the lid of the feeder is removable.

Without the opportunity to frequently replenish provisions in the feeder, a filled bunker will well preserve bird treats and allow the birds to remain full for a long time.

By placing a birdhouse made with your own hands from scrap materials next to the dining room, you will provide for tits and other small birds both housing and food.

Whatever idea you choose for making a feeder with your own hands, the birds will certainly thank you! Having tried your hand at making a feeder, you can also make a birdhouse with your own hands from scrap materials.

Bird feeders

In winter, animals and birds need special care, because snow makes them have problems finding food. Special feeders will not only save birds from hunger, but also a real decoration of the exterior. There are many materials for their manufacture, these are wood, plastic, metal, unnecessary bottles, etc. It is enough to turn on your imagination and involve children in this process. We will learn about the most original methods of making feeders below.

DIY feeder made from scrap materials in the form of plastic bottles

There are a huge number of options for creating feeders. For their manufacture, various available materials are used, such as plastic, cardboard, wood, plywood, lining and even tiles.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with the simplest method of making bird feeders. To make it you only need a plastic bottle. These feeders are installed on trees, in parks and gardens, that is, in places where a large number of birds live. Feeders made from plastic bottles are frost-resistant and can easily withstand any temperature changes.

When making a plastic feeder, first of all pay attention to its accessibility for birds and for placing food. In addition, the feed must be protected from weather conditions and moisture. To get the simplest feeder, make a hole inside the bottle and pour food into it. Cut out the bottom of another bottle and place the second bottle there. Thus, the food, after being eaten by the birds, will gradually fill the feeders. At the same time, it will not be under constant influence of moisture.

In the process of working on this version of the feeder you will need the following:

• plastic juice bottle with a wide neck;
• an ordinary plastic bottle;
• scissors and rope;
• the simplest pen.

On the first juice bottle, you should make two square cuts. Through them, the food will pour into the feeder. The optimal width of the cuts is 10 mm.

The second bottle is needed to make the bottom of the feeder. The top of the juice box is placed on the bottom of the second bottle. If you have trouble holding the bottle, use glue to fix it. Next, another hole is made in the center of the feeder; a handle, previously prepared for use, is installed in it. This version of the feeder allows you to easily feed a large number of birds, while it holds a lot of food. The feeder should be fixed on fairly strong branches, since its weight with food is quite large.

Another option for creating a do-it-yourself garden feeder with a dispenser is also based on the use of plastic bottles. In this case, you will need to have:

• two plastic bottles with a capacity of two liters;
• scissors;
• ropes;
• two handles with threads.

First, take care of the handles, cut them into two parts with smooth edges. Cut off the top of the first bottle using scissors; cut out two outlets for food in the center of the second bottle. The bottom of the bottle is also equipped with holes for installing handles. The second bottle should not have a bottom, as it will serve as a lid and protect the food from moisture.

In addition, five-liter bottles can be used to make feeders. In this case, you will be able to get a spacious and comfortable design. To make such a feeder, in addition to the bottle, you need to prepare a rope and scissors. Make rectangular cuts on the bottle on four or three sides. Their upper part is left, and the lower parts are cut through. Thus, it is possible to obtain a canopy that prevents snow from getting inside the feeder. At the bottom of the feeder, place stones or some kind of heavy object to prevent it from tipping over. This feeder fits perfectly on the ground or on any elevated surface.

Use wheat, sunflower, watermelon or pumpkin seeds, fruits and berries as bird food. The process of making a bird feeder takes very little time, and the benefits of such feeders are invaluable. With their help, it is possible to save the lives of many birds that remain so defenseless in winter.

DIY wooden feeder - step-by-step manufacturing instructions

To make wooden feeders, both ordinary boards and moisture-resistant plywood are used. At the same time, the material must be carefully treated with antiseptic compounds and moisture-proof impregnation. This way your feeder will be protected from adverse weather conditions.

The most popular option for making a wooden feeder is hanging structures in the form of houses. We offer an option for making a bunker feeder, in which the feed is poured gradually. You can replace moisture-resistant plywood with organic glass, for fixing which special grooves are installed. The side panels are fixed at the end sections using self-tapping screws.

You can connect all the parts of the feeder using glue or wooden edges. To improve the appearance of the feeder, the corner joints are sanded. A perch is also installed on the feeder; it is fixed on the extreme part of the side.

Next comes the manufacture and fixation of the lid; furniture hinges are used for these purposes. Using the resulting gap, the feed supply to the animals is adjusted. Having filled such a feeder, you don’t have to worry about the lack of food for two or three weeks. For additional decoration of such a feeder, use paints and varnishes.

We offer another simpler way to make a wooden feeder with your own hands. In this case, you need to act according to the drawings. The shape of this feeder can be rectangular or square. There are sides at the bottom, and the food is protected from moisture with a lid.

When working with wood you will need:

• electric jigsaw;
• screwdriver;
• hacksaws;
• hammer;
• fasteners in the form of self-tapping screws, nails;
• adhesive solution for wood.

The materials you need to prepare are plywood, timber, and wooden corners. The assembly process should begin by preparing all the parts. The timber is cut in relation to the size of the feeder. All parts are connected to each other by corners. Thus, it is possible to obtain a base in the form of a frame. Plywood will serve as the bottom, from which you need to cut a square or rectangle of the given dimensions. To fix the bottom to the box, use nails.

Next, make the stands and install them on the feeder. The posts are fixed inside the feeder. To assemble the roof, you must first build its frame part. It is fixed to the racks with glue and screws. To avoid cracking of the timber when installing self-tapping screws, first make holes using a drill. Use plywood as a roofing material. Use nails to secure it. To make the roof more presentable, build an element in the form of a ridge. To fix it, use wood glue. Using a regular glazing bead, make elements in the form of crossbars. Use a rope or screw to secure the feeder.

To improve the aesthetic appeal of the feeder, cover the screw caps with putty and paint the product in the desired color. The food is poured into the feeder at the bottom. Place the feeder away from pets and strong gusts of wind.

DIY Bird Feeder Ideas

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the options for unusual feeders made from scrap materials. The first of them is a feeder, which is made from a cardboard box. When choosing a box, pay attention to its density; the higher it is, the more durable the structure will be.

Make holes in the form of rectangles on the sides of the feeder. They will serve as the entrance part. The holes should be large, as birds do not accept enclosed spaces. At the top, build a part in the form of a roof. All elements are connected using double-sided tape or glue. Make holes to secure the feeder. To decorate feeders, use paints, beads, shells and other materials. To prevent the cardboard from getting wet under the influence of moisture, the entire feeder is sealed with tape.

DIY bird feeder photo:

Feeders made of plastic are especially popular. Any jar or container is suitable for making them. It is enough to equip such a container with a hole into which birds will fly, as well as a roof to protect the food from moisture. The main quality of such a feeder is convenience for birds to eat food. Only in this case will the feeder be of benefit to you.

Among the DIY bird feeder ideas, we should mention the option of a hanging feeder made from food. To do this, feed is strung on wire or connected to each other. However, such a feeder can only be made from feed that can be threaded.

Another option is to create feeders in different shapes. For these purposes, you will need a baking dish or a regular cup. Pour the food there and fill it with gelatin solution. After hardening, you can get products in the form of hearts, stars, circles and triangles, depending on what shape was used to make them. These products are suspended from tree branches using ordinary threads.

DIY feeders photos, original ideas:

Another version of this feeder with small additions:

• prepare food in the form of wheat grains, barley, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds;
• add gelatin solution to them;
• place the resulting mass in a cup;
• wait for it to cool completely; you can use the refrigerator for these purposes;
• hang the cup from a tree using a rope.

Such a feeder will not only decorate your garden, but will also become a convenient place for birds to snack.

Pay special attention to the location where the feeders are installed. In this case, follow these tips:

• the feeder should be located in a well-lit and visible place, attracting birds with its appearance;
• there is no need to install feeders in the thick of plants, as birds may simply not notice them;
• It is not recommended to install feeders in areas subject to strong winds;
• Feeders should be high enough so that cats cannot climb on them.

To fill bird feeders, use the following ingredients:

• seeds of fruits such as pumpkin, watermelon, melon;
• nut seeds, cones, acorns;
• wheat, millet, corn;
• lard, meat;
• pre-boiled eggs with potatoes;
• dried fruits with honey, etc.

How to make a feeder with your own hands

Among the large number of ideas for do-it-yourself feeders, we offer another option made of plywood. To build a feeder you will need a minimum of funds and tools. In addition, you can determine the shape yourself. The feeder can have a roof of various configurations, the presence of a bunker compartment will allow you to control the constant presence of feed.

In general, you first need to draw up a drawing according to which all the parts for the feeder will be made. Next, all the parts are assembled; most often, nails with self-tapping screws, a hammer and a screwdriver are used for these purposes. It is possible to connect plywood elements using glue. However, in this case, we recommend choosing a material with high strength characteristics and moisture resistance.

When choosing a material for finishing the roof, keep in mind that it should be thin and light-proof. Otherwise, the birds will be afraid of the shadow. If you have a gazebo on your site, then the simplest version of a feeder without a roof is suitable for it. It is enough to use timber to make the frame, and build the bottom from plywood. Paint this feeder in bright colors to attract the birds' attention.

Making your own bird feeder is a great activity to do with your family. Planning, organizing the process, an exciting activity, especially for children. Another simple way to make a feeder is to use a plastic kefir container. In this case, to make a feeder it is enough to use:

• empty plastic bag;
• wire or rope;
• felt-tip pen;
• scissors;
• a small piece of adhesive tape.

First of all, use a marker to mark and cut out holes for the birds to enter. Use adhesive tape to cover the window to make the structure safer. Install the wire fasteners on which the feeder will be hung. Make slits not on opposite sides of the feeder, but on adjacent ones, this way you will be able to prevent the feeder from loosening under the influence of the wind.

Making feeders, without which it is quite difficult for birds to survive the harsh winter, does not require much effort.

But in gratitude for the care shown, the feathered chirps will repay you a hundredfold, destroying garden pests on your site and thus saving the harvest.

The article discusses manufacturing options feeders made from various materials with step-by-step construction instructions.

What types of feeders are there?

Feeders can be different. They differ on materials and manufacturing complexity, but at the same time they have one task: to feed the birds, for whom winter is a severe test.

Most often the design is platform, above which there is a canopy for protection from rain and snow. On this site there is a container into which food is poured.

It is best to choose a feeder that hangs out of reach of cats and dogs. Sometimes the feeder is installed on a post dug into the ground or on a tree.

Materials For feeders, wood (boards and even branches of medium thickness), pieces of plywood, a plastic bottle, thick cardboard, a juice carton, an old headlight, a large pumpkin and much more can be used.

Requirements for feeders

The poultry canteen is presented with certain requirements:

• there must be a feeder conveniently located: away from housing and in a place protected from the wind;
• have roof which will protect food from rain and snow;
• birds should easily hit inside the feeder and get out from her;
• the manufacturing material must withstand high humidity and temperature fluctuations.

DIY wooden feeder

Wooden feeder is rightfully considered a traditional design, and it may well last for more than one year.

Old furniture panels, plywood, and scrap boards can be used. But the most beautiful feeders are made from unprocessed branches, which are laid like a wooden frame.

Sequencing:

1. Theoretical stage: execution of the sketch future feeder on a sheet of paper. Approximate overall dimensions of the structure 30x30x25 cm(length, width and height);
2. Preparatory stage: marking the material by size and cutting it. First mark 3 parts of the same size 300x230 mm. These are the future bottom (1 part) and the roof, consisting of two parts. Then you should mark the base with size 3 00x300 mm and 2 side walls 250x230 mm. When all the parts are marked, we begin cutting the material;
3. Practical stage: assembling the feeder. On a board base exactly in the middle the bottom is fixed. On the left and right, two side walls are attached to it, and two halves of the plywood roof are attached to them; it is best to fasten all parts of the structure using self-tapping screws. The simplest wooden feeder is ready.

Plastic feeder

Plastic feeder from available means does not require any costs for its manufacture. Even a child can make such a feeder.

Just stock up on two or five liters plastic bottle with handle, sharp scissors and a piece of wire.

Cut a hole in the bottom of the bottle hole and pour food into it, then hang your feeder on a branch using the handle. To prevent the wind from tearing the feeder from the tree, secure it with piece of wire.

We recommend! The edges of the cut hole are quite sharp. To prevent birds from injuring their paws, just quickly run the light of a regular lighter along the cut. When exposed to high temperatures, the plastic will bend slightly. Now it will be much more convenient for birds to climb into the feeder.

Hopper feeder

This type of feeder is very popular in poultry farming, but why not use a similar construction in our case.

Hopper feeder presented in two parts:

1. pallet with low sides;
2. feed container with small holes at the bottom.

To create such a feeder with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

• liter plastic bottle with a wide neck;
• two liter bottle from mineral water or soda;
• spicy knife or scissors
• wire.

A liter bottle, which will serve as a container for food, cut off threaded part of the neck. Along the cutting line with scissors, make several cutouts for pouring out food. The bottom of the second bottle is cut off. This will be ours pallet.

Into container food is placed, and a pallet is installed on top. Now all that remains is to quickly turn the feeder over. The sides prevent the grains from spilling out of the feeder, and the size of the tray does not allow the bird to climb into it.

When the birds begin to peck at the food, new portions will pour out spontaneously. This automatic design does not require frequent filling; bird food does not spill or become dirty.

In order for the structure to acquire the necessary stability, it should be screw it with wire to a wooden stand. Any online store with goods for poultry breeding offers an assortment of bunker feeders, especially many options for bunker feeders for.

What can you feed birds?

Birds love raw food most of all. sunflower seeds. This food will provide the birds with a supply of energy.

The birds will not refuse millet, oats, pumpkin seeds, melon, watermelon. You can also stock up on seeds of wild herbs. Visitors to the poultry canteen will also like berries - bunches of viburnum and rowan.

Can you offer a piece? unsalted lard and calcium supplement from finely ground eggshells. Feathered guests will happily enjoy food crumbs, pieces of chicken eggs, nuts, white bread crackers and even dry pet food.

Important tip! Never offer your birds salty, sour, spicy or fried food. Brown bread, which is poorly digested, is also dangerous for them.

Where to buy ready-made feeders

If you don’t have enough time to make your own feeder, then you can buy not only feeders, but also birdhouses, drinking bowls, garden figures in the form of animals or gnomes in combination with feeders.

A wooden feeder will do without any fuss at 250 rubles, original log house about 800 rubles, and a large garden sculpture with a feeder about 2500 rubles.

But you must admit that it is much more interesting for a home craftsman to build something unusual from scrap materials on one's own. And it will be interesting and useful for children.

Detailed instructions for assembling bunker feeders from plastic bottles, watch in this video.

They gave us a task in the garden to make a bird feeder by Wednesday

Dad suggested cutting it out of a plastic bottle. But I’m not looking for easy ways; after rummaging around in the closet, I came up with an idea of ​​what to make a feeder out of.

After the repair, several plastic panels, plastic corners for the panels and plastic plugs for them remained. Dad threatened to throw it all away, but my hamster didn’t allow it and hid it. And as it turned out, it was not in vain.

And so, I cut the plastic panel into three parts. On two parts I made two holes on one edge.

I measured the width of the blanks and cut the required length from plastic corners and plugs.

Here's what they look like up close.

I glued the plugs onto one blank with special glue (which also remained after the repair), which without holes would be the bottom of the feeder. This is to cover the cut edges.

I glued one plug each to the remaining two blanks on the side where the holes were. Also to hide the edges.

And on the other side of the blanks I inserted the corners, having previously smeared them with glue.

While it was all sticking, I thought that the food would spill out of the feeder. And the birds will have nothing to sit on; their paws will probably slide along the panel.

Again I reached into the closet and found a piece of white cable duct.

Having measured the required length, I cut two pieces. And glued it to the bottom of the feeder.

My walls for the feeder dried out and I glued them to make a house.

And again I felt sorry for the birds that they would have nowhere to sit and glued them perches from the same channel for the cable. To the outer walls of the feeder.

Now I tied the top of the feeder with rope. This is why I made holes earlier; I probably wouldn’t have been able to glue them with glue.

I threaded another piece of rope into the existing rope. This is for mounting on a tree.

And so as not to interfere, I tied it with a bow.

Wild animals and birds that live in nature cannot count on someone helping them in the winter just like their domesticated “brothers.” However, many people understand this and try to provide all possible assistance during the winter cold.

Benefits for both you and the birds

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

By the way, having “accustomed” the birds to your feeder located on the site, in addition to the feeling that you are helping them, saving them from hunger during a difficult time of year, you receive some kind of additional “bonuses”:

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

Wood is a reliable material!

In today's article we have presented photos 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 a project for such a feeder, you do not need complex designs 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 we look at the basic ideas for making feeders, let's talk about some of the features of choosing the material, as well as the places where you can hang or attach such a homemade structure.

Selection of material and installation location

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

1. Nuthatch; 2. pika; 3. small spotted woodpecker; 4. crossbill; 5. jay; 6. nutcracker or nutcracker; 7. bullfinch; 8. waxwing; 9. common grosbeak; 10. goldfinch; 11. siskin; 12. common oatmeal; 13. greenfinch; 14. great tit; 15. blue tit; 16. tufted tit; 17. Muscovy tit; 18. long-tailed tit; 19. titmouse.

It is traditionally believed that a bird feeder should have the shape of a kind of house, which would be somewhat similar to a birdhouse. And in fact, this configuration is optimal for organizing a place for feeding birds. Let's 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 visual appeal of the entire site.

However, you should not be limited only to this form, and also to the fact that only wood can be used as a 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 deform over time. In other words, a birdhouse made of cardboard or similar improvised means is not suitable. It simply will not withstand difficult weather conditions: rain, sleet, etc.
2. At the same time, you can, as a last resort, make a small feeder from juice packaging or dairy products (kefir, milk, etc.). Tetra Pak and similar cardboard packaging are to a much greater extent, compared to ordinary cardboard, adapted to the effects of moisture. However, such structures cannot be classified as durable. On the other hand, they are quite suitable as a temporary solution, which, under favorable circumstances, can serve you throughout the whole season. At the same time, it is necessary to understand that a feeder made from a milk carton is suitable only for small birds, since large ones simply will not fit in it.
3. From the previous paragraph, by the way, the following conclusion follows: the material must be strong and stable, since it must withstand not only autumn-winter bad 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, as a rule, sit in a cut-out opening (“window”).
4. By the way, since we are talking about a window, an entrance (this technological hole can be called, in fact, whatever you want), then we need to understand that its edges should not be sharp, because, otherwise, birds can injure their paws on them.

Location

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

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

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

Popular ideas

Let's look at the basic ideas on how best to make a bird feeder with your own hands, looking at “live” examples of how many people have implemented their projects. There can be many feeders, and there are countless options for making them. However, they are all made for the same 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”

Wooden house

It is quite possible to make such a design yourself. There is no need to have any specific skills or knowledge. As a rule, in such work, improvised or unnecessary boards, pieces of logs and many other wooden elements are used. Taking planks or veneer as a basis, the main task is their strong connection.

By the way, wooden bird feeders can be used not only for feeding yard birds. Similar designs are also 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 don't need any special tools or conditions for this. In this case, of course, you will 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 work.

Hopper feeder

This type of construction, so to speak, “migrated” from agriculture. One of its main advantages is that it allows one to exclude “discrimination” of some bird species by others. You yourself have probably noticed that often a flock of birds, for example, sparrows or tits, takes an advantageous position in the immediate vicinity of food (seeds, bread crumbs, grains, cereals, loaves, etc.) or even in the feeder itself and strives to prevent other birds from accessing such a valuable resource.

Therefore, limiting the area where feathered friends can feed becomes an important task. Therefore, in such cases, homemade bunker feeders, also known as anti-passerine feeders, can be useful.

Feeders made from plastic bottles

A canister feeder is also a great option.

This type of design is extremely simple, so everyone, including children, can make it themselves. In order to make it, you just need to cut one or two holes in the bottle in order to pour bird food inside, and, in fact, so that the birds have the opportunity to get inside. Of course, you need to be careful in doing this, since the holes should be as even and symmetrical as possible.

Interesting! If you have the time and desire, you can further decorate the feeder with natural materials or apply inscriptions.

Let's take a closer look at the features of carrying out work when there are bottles of different sizes. The fact is that the most common starting materials in such cases are:

So, if you use the first option, then you can choose two types of structures. In the first case, we are talking about making holes in both sides of the bottle. They can have different shapes: round, rectangular or square.

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

To make it more comfortable for the birds, you can make two small holes under the main openings and insert a long stick into them for them to perch on before getting inside. As for the lower edge of the main holes, for greater safety it is advisable to cover it with adhesive tape or several layers of electrical tape. A cloth adhesive plaster will also work. In this way, you can make your own feeder from plastic containers of 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, more seeds and crumbled loaf can be placed in such a container, and it is more convenient for birds to fly inside. To make this you will need a knife or strong scissors.

If the plastic bottle is attached horizontally, then 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 on different sides if you are working with a bottle that has a square or rectangular cross-section. This, by the way, will allow several birds to fly in and feed at once. For round bottles, you can cut 2-3 holes. By the way, based on a large bottle with a volume of 5 liters or more, you can also make a bunker feeder.

On a note! It is advisable to cut the holes at a height of at least 5 centimeters from the bottom, maybe a little more.

Attaching such a feeder is quite simple: 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 if we talk about vertical options. When fixing horizontally, it is best to make 2 parallel small holes (they can be made using a knife or other sharp object), passing the wire or rope through them, which is necessary for fastening.

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

Bird feeder made from a milk or juice carton

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

Everyone has juice or milk boxes. We usually throw them away. The manufacturing technology is extremely simple, and in some ways resembles the previous one (with plastic bottles). So, if you want to make a bird feeder from a juice or milk carton, your sequence of actions could be as follows:

• We outline future holes using a pen, marker or felt-tip pen.
• Carefully cut them out using scissors or a sharp knife.
• Cover the bottom side of the opening with tape or adhesive tape.
• We make small holes for the rope or wire at the top of the bag.
• We hang the resulting feeder from a tree branch, lilac or other places.

The easiest and fastest option from a milk carton

By the way, in some cases you can put a weight on the bottom or attach to it in the form of a piece of brick or something similar. This will minimize swaying 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.

Using a shoe box

By the way, a bird feeder is made from a shoe box in a similar way. Of course, the fact that it is made of cardboard does not allow such a feeder to be durable. On the other hand, some boxes are made of fairly durable and moisture-resistant cardboard. Moreover, you can additionally cover the cardboard with tape, which will further increase its protection from the effects of bad weather conditions. This will increase the life of the feeder to some extent, although, in any case, it will not be as durable as its counterparts made of 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 slits on the sides of the box and also secure the lid. This can also be done using tape.

Other options

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

By the way! You can also make a drinking bowl from the dishes, which is also very important for the birds.

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