Attract Birds to Your Garden With DIY Feeders
Spring, summer, winter and fall. If you have bird feeders, each season brings a variety of birds. What better way to enjoy the beauty and songs of your changing flock than to use feeders made from recycled materials yourself?
Helping Our Flying Friends
Birds will continue to visit your feeders as long as the food supply is constant. Winter resources are often scarce, and many birds depend on feeders for optimal winter survival. Spring means breeding season. The birds’ activity levels are enhanced, and they require additional food to maintain the energy levels needed for courtship rituals, nest building, and raising young.
Since plant and insect life is not fully mature in early spring, bird feeders are a welcome source of additional nutrition. Warmer temperatures may mean fewer food resources for growing bird families now, and migratory birds can gain extra energy at your feeders before their long journey south in the fall. However, be aware that birds depend on your feeder for food, especially in the winter. If you are not sure you can maintain your feeders regularly, please do not operate them in the winter!
The Joy of Bird Watching
Young children love seeing these colorful and moving creatures. Imagine their joy as they feed the beautiful birds in the feeder they helped!
Materials needed for Recycled Pop Bottle Feeder
2 liter plastic bottle with cap
2 wooden skewers
Sharp knife
Wire
Sharpie marker, if necessary to widen the feed holes
How to make a bird feeder from a 2 liter plastic soda bottle.
- Remove the sticker.
- Clean the bottle with warm soapy water and rinse well.
- Leave the inside of the bottle to dry.
- Near the bottom of the bottle, using a sharp knife, carefully make a hole to insert the wooden skewer.
- Insert the skewer through the hole and leave it on the other side of the bottle so that the skewer rests at the bottom of the bottle. Mark with a knife where the corresponding hole should begin.
- Carefully start the hole with a sharp knife in the marked location.
- Carefully insert the skewer into both holes. The skewer should be standing at the bottom of the bottle.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 for the second skewer. When finished, the two skewers should form a cross. Four perches have now been built.
- Again, using a sharp knife, start a hole through the tip of the knife, starting about 3 or 4 inches above the skewer. Turn slowly until the hole is about 1/2 inch in diameter. Do not cut or remove the plastic wrap inside the feeder, as this will help prevent seeds from coming out of the feeder.
- Repeat step 9 three more times to make a hole in the top of each perch.
- Cut a 10-inch section of wire.
- Tie the ends of the wire under the plastic ring around the bottle opening. Allow a few inches to wrap around the wire loop.
- Fill with your favorite birdseed using the funnel and screw on the lid.
- Hang the bird feeder in the desired location and watch the birds enjoy feeding from this bird feeder made from recycled plastic bottles.
