It's easier than you might think to give your feathered friends a snack bar in your backyard. You can make a DIY bird feeder from almost anything - from an antique teacup to that empty wine or liquor bottle that was just too pretty to throw away. These projects are totally doable and lots of fun, so you might even want to make a few.
Antique Teacup DIY Bird Feeder
There's nothing quite as lovely as an antique teacup, but some of them really aren't in the best shape. As an antique, the value is significantly reduced if the cup has cracks and chips, but it's still worth a lot when it comes to DIY bird feeder potential.
This is an easy project you can make in a few minutes. You'll just need an old teacup with a saucer, some epoxy, and a ribbon or string for hanging.
- Start by mixing the epoxy according to the instructions on the tube.
- Put some epoxy in the saucer. You'll need enough to adhere the cup to the saucer.
- Place the cup handle-side up in the saucer on its side. Prop it in this position until the epoxy has cured.
- Tie a ribbon or string to the handle and hang the cup from a branch or your eaves. Fill the saucer with bird seed and invite the birds to a tea party!
Hollow Log Feeder
If you're handy with power tools, you can make a hollow log bird feeder. You'll need a band saw, a drill, a log, and some hanging hardware.
- Mark the edges of the log where you want to hollow it out. You'll need at least an inch of wood around the outside. You can see tips at Sun Catcher Studios.
- Carefully use the bandsaw to remove the center of the log, leaving an area open for the birds to perch and eat.
- Drill holes for hanging hardware in the top of the log and attach the hardware. You can add end caps to the log if you want to make the feeder more enclosed.
- Hang the log bird feeder and fill it with food.
Helpful Hack
Not so into the bandsaw thing? Find an already hollow log in nature or at your craft store and use that as a starting point.
Empty Bottle Hummingbird Feeder
Not that you need an excuse to buy wine or liquor for its pretty bottle, but you can put those beautiful glass bottles to use by turning them into DIY hummingbird feeders. This is a super easy project too. You'll need a bottle (the prettier the better), a stopper kit like this one from Amazon, and some thick copper wire.
- Bend the copper wire around the bottle starting at the neck and working down to the bottom. You may need pliers to make sure it's secure. Create a hanging loop at the bottom of the bottle (it will hang upside down).
- Fill the bottle with hummingbird food.
- Insert the stopper kit to allow hummingbirds to access the food.
- Hang the feeder someplace you'll be able to access it easily when you need to refill it.
Bird Feeder Made From an Upcycled Vintage Glass Dish
Do you remember all those covered candy dishes your grandma used to have sitting around? Those things aren't necessarily practical in your home today (no one needs candy to be that accessible), but you can actually turn one of those dishes into a homemade bird feeder that's super cute.
You'll need a covered glass dish, something to use as a spacer (any kind of tube or pipe that's about six inches), epoxy, and some sturdy wire or cord.
- Mix the epoxy according to the package instructions.
- Use the epoxy to glue the spacer to the bottom of the candy dish. Then glue the candy dish lid to the top of the spacer. Allow the epoxy to cure.
- Wrap the handle of the candy dish in wire or cord and create a hanging loop.
- Fill the feeder with food and hang it in a tree or near your home.
Helpful Hack
If you're making a bird feeder out of a vintage glass dish, first make sure the dish isn't valuable. If it has chips and cracks, it's a good choice for a feeder project. Look for glass identification marks to check if it's worth anything.
Hanging Tray Bird Feeder
Pick up an old serving tray from the thrift store and turn it into an adorable homemade bird feeder. This is a really easy project that just requires some chain, hanging hardware, and a drill.
- Drill four holes, one on each corner of the tray. Size the holes to fit the hardware you purchased.
- Install the hardware according to the package instructions.
- Use chain or cord to make four equal lengths for hanging the tray (the actual length will depend on the size of the tray). Connect all four together and add a loop.
- Hang the tray near your home and fill it with birdseed.
Repurposed Trinket Dish Bird Feeder
Similar to the hanging tray project, this DIY feeder uses an old trinket dish that hangs from four strings or ribbons. Look for a dish with handles or perforated edges so you don't have to use any tools to make this simple feeder.
- Tie four equal lengths of string or ribbon to the dish, orienting them so they are opposite each other.
- Tie the four lengths together and add a hanging loop.
- Hang the feeder from a branch near your house and fill it with birdseed.
Mason Jar Feeder
Vintage canning jars have a ton of charm, and they make great bird feeders too. You can make this a really simple project by buying a Mason jar lid that's modified to create a bird feeder. You'll also need a glass plate for a roof, plus epoxy and copper wire.
- Choose a pretty canning jar. Place it upside down on your work surface.
- Mix up the epoxy and use it to attach the glass plate to the bottom of the jar, making a roof for the feeder.
- When the epoxy has cured, wrap copper wire around the feeder to hang it. Bring the ends up over the top of the plate to create a hanging loop.
- Fill the feeder with seed and attach the feeder base you purchased. Hang it up for the birds to enjoy.
Helpful Hack
Before you glue a plate onto your jar, make sure the jar isn't worth something. Several factors can affect the value of old canning jars, such as rarity, condition, and pretty colors.
Hanging Bird Seed Eggs
These adorable eggs are easy to make and so charming to give as a gift in an egg carton. They're essentially an edible bird feeder, since the birds can eat the entire thing.
You'll need plastic Easter eggs (the kind with the little vent holes), nonstick spray, twine, about a cup of birdseed, a ¼-ounce pack of unflavored gelatin, and ¼ cup of boiling hot water.
- Open about six plastic Easter eggs. Thread a loop of twine through the tops of each container, leaving the ends of the twine inside the egg. Spray the eggs with nonstick spray.
- Mix the boiling water and gelatin in a pan. Stir until the gelatin is totally dissolved.
- Pour in the birdseed. Stir to combine.
- Pack the seed mixture into each half of the eggs, working the twine ends into the middle of the seed mixture so they're embedded. Slightly overfill the eggs and push them closed.
- Allow the seed eggs to cool overnight.
- Remove the seed eggs from the plastic shells and hang them up for the birds or give them as a gift.
Tabletop Tray Bird Feeder
To make this simple tabletop bird feeder, you can buy a thrift store tray or create your own with scrap wood. Either way, it's easy, especially if you use pre-made feet from the hardware store.
- Buy or make a simple wooden tray.
- Use pre-made feet to attach legs to the tray. You'll need a drill bit sized for the feet you buy.
- Place the tray on a tabletop and fill it with birdseed.
Easy DIY Pine Cone Bird Feeders
Want an easy homemade bird feeder to make with kids? This super quick project uses twine, pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed.
- Tie a twine loop around a pine cone.
- Use a butter knife to spread peanut butter into the grooves of the pinecone.
- Roll the pinecone in birdseed.
- Hang the feeder where the birds will find it.
So Many Options for DIY Bird Feeders
There are so many different styles of bird feeders you can make yourself, and many of them are just too easy not to try. You can experiment with all kinds of designs and put your own creative twist on these fun and functional garden accents that will keep your feathered friends full all year long.
