home Stoves and fireplaces DIY plastic feeders. Bird feeder with dispenser

DIY plastic feeders. Bird feeder with dispenser

Do you have a lot of 5L water bottles left over? You don't know where to put them? Maybe throw it away? Don't rush into a decision. This container may be useful to you.

Not only can you make various decorative elements from plastic bottles, but a 5-liter bottle will help you solve the problem of feeding both domestic and free birds. A feeder made from a 5 liter plastic bottle will be original, simple, but at the same time effective.

In this article we will look at options for making feeders. In addition, you will learn how to make a bee feeder. We want to assure you that there is nothing complicated in the work, so you just need to act.

Simple feeder

The first option is the fastest and easiest. This is an effective bottle bird feeder. The work is so simple that even a schoolchild can handle it. This is the advantage of plastic crafts. To make them, you don’t need to have a wealth of knowledge, expensive tools or a lot of time. Here's a list of everything you'll need:

5 liter bottle;
rope;
stationery knife;
awl;
scissors;
scotch.

All this is very easy to find at home. So what is your task? To begin, find a comfortable place where you can work. And then it’s all a matter of technique:

Advice! For this work, you can ask your children for help. They will be happy to do this business.

Just like that, you can quickly and easily make a bird feeder from a plastic bottle. It will take you about 20 minutes to do everything. This is quite a bit, but the benefits will be significant. The exact same feeder can be made for chickens, but you need to cut it differently. It should be placed in an upright position and simply cut off the top part, leaving 3-5 cm sides at the edges. Now all you need to do is pour food into the chickens.

Automatic feeder

Using a similar principle, you can make an automatic feeder that does not need to be replenished frequently. It is slightly modernized, and to create it you need to take another bottle, only 1.5 liters. It will serve as a dispenser. As for the set of tools, it is identical.

So, the essence of the work does not change. The first preparation is made according to the same principle and with the same actions. You can make 4 windows, 3 or two, it’s up to you. As usual, it is better to insulate the edges. Having such a preparation, we can make the feeding process automatic. To do this, you only need to correctly cut the 1.5 liter bottle. Its bottom needs to be cut so that it fits inside a 5 liter bottle. In this case, its neck should rest against the bottom of the 5 liter bottle, and the top should be under the neck. So, you can replenish the dispenser by opening the lid and pouring food into it.

The neck of a 1.5 liter bottle needs to be cut so that the millet seeps to the bottom as it is eaten. To do this, vertical cuts are made and part of the neck is removed. This way, the contents will flow from the dispenser into the bottle. All that remains is to secure the structure and install it in the right place. In the old fashioned way, the product can be further decorated.

Making a feeder for bees

If you are a beekeeper, then feeding bees is also familiar to you. Thanks to the same 5 liter bottle, you will have a practical bee feeder. This is a simple and economical option. It will take a record time to create the product - no more than 5 minutes. Surprised? It's all about simplicity of design. What do you need to do?

Take a nail and heat it on fire. It should form holes 1.5 mm in diameter in the bottle.
Step back a few cm from the bottom and start making holes. The more there are, the more bees can eat at the same time. The consumption will accordingly be higher.
If you made a little extra, then seal them with tape.
Immediately before installing and pouring syrup, cover absolutely all holes with tape.
Now all that remains is to install the bottle in the hive and remove the tape. Due to physical laws, the syrup will not leak out of the bottle, and the bees will be able to feed on it.

If a 5 liter bottle is too much, you can use a 1.5 liter bottle. The essence is the same, so the principle of operation does not change. Everything is very simple and not ordinary. And thanks to this feeder, your bees will always have access to food. You will notice that all you need for the job is a nail and the bottle itself.

Instead of throwing away plastic water and lemonade bottles, you can put them to good use. For example, make a bird feeder. The manufacturing process will be interesting for both children and adults, and in addition, your feathered friends will be very grateful. A DIY bird feeder made from plastic bottles hanging on a tree will decorate the yard and attract children's attention to the surrounding nature.

Before you start making a feeder, you should keep in mind that it is made primarily for birds, and not just for decoration. The width of the windows should allow them to fly in and out freely without damaging their legs and wings. It is necessary to make holes in the plastic bottom so that water that gets inside does not linger and spoil the food. Decorations rustling and rattling in the wind will not attract birds, but will scare them away.

Also, you should not hang feeders close to the windows and walls of the house: firstly, washing bird droppings is difficult and unpleasant, and secondly, constant bird “showdowns” will quickly get boring. The feeder should be light enough to be suspended. If it is securely fastened, there is a chance that a cat will choose it instead of birds.

Let's get started

Tools you need are a bottle, a utility knife, rope, a felt-tip pen and tape.

Master class on making a feeder. Plastic bottles must be clean, the volume does not really matter. Using a felt-tip pen, outline the outline of the future hole, or two, if desired. If you cut two holes, you need to leave 1.5-2 cm jumpers between them.

The larger the holes, the larger the birds will be able to fly to visit. It is advisable to seal the holes with tape so that the birds do not get hurt.

But there is another danger: birds can peck at the tape and die from it. It is best to tie the sharp edges with thick yarn or melt them with fire. Holes are made in the bottom of the bottle to drain water. The rope is tied to the neck, food is poured inside and the feeder is ready.

The best feeder with dosed food, then you don’t have to check every day whether there is still food for the birds. Stepping back a little from the bottom, a small hole is made in the bottle. The bottle filled with food should be placed on a flat stand or bowl.

Large feeders

From a 5-liter bottle you can make a wonderful large feeder, where not only sparrows and tits, but also larger birds can fly. It can be placed on its side:

Arrange as a gazebo:

Make windows with cornices:

Take care of your roof:

Insert the small bottle into the larger one to dose the feed:

Original design

We learned how to make a feeder from a plastic bottle. Now we need to figure out how to decorate the craft so that it pleases not only the birds, but also the eyes of people. A plastic bottle can be decorated using other plastic bottles, spray paint, a soldering iron and Moment glue. Flowers are cut out from the bottoms of liter or 1.5 liter bottles, painted in different colors and attached to the feeder with a stapler.

The bottle is wrapped in burlap, glued and painted. A bunch of straw is placed on top, imitating a roof, and flowers are attached in the form of appliqués.

This article contains many ideas on how to make a bird feeder from plastic bottles.

Often in kindergartens and elementary schools, children are asked to make a bird feeder together with their parents.

There are plastic bottles in every home. Both regular 1.5 and 2 liter bottles and large 5 liter containers are suitable for bird feeders. The process of making such a device for birds will be fascinating for both children and adults. A hanging feeder in the courtyard of a house, kindergarten or school will decorate the area and also attract children's attention to the world around them.

A few tips before you start making the device:

Keep in mind that the feeder is made for birds, and not just to decorate the yard. The windows in it should be wide so that the birds can freely take food, fly in and fly out without getting hurt.
Make holes in the bottom of the bottle so that rain or melt water that will get inside the feeder can drain and not spoil the food.
Do not make additional decorations for the feeder from rustling or rattling materials., since such sounds will scare away birds.
Hang feeders away from windows and walls of the house, otherwise you will have to constantly wash the surface of bird droppings and listen to the birds’ “showdowns”.
The feeder should be hung freely on a branch. If you attach it to the trunk, then there is a chance that a cat will choose it and then the birds will not come.

How to make a simple bird feeder from plastic bottles - diagram, description:

Take a regular plastic bottle. A liter, one and a half, two liter and even half a liter will do.
First draw an outline with a felt-tip pen, and then cut a hole twice the height of, for example, a tit. The hole should be large - about 15 cm, so that the bird does not get hurt or get stuck in the bottle. Step back 4-5 cm from the bottom of the bottle. This is necessary so that the food does not spill out.
Wrap electrical tape around the edge of the hole. This is important, because birds can get injured when they jump onto the edge of the hole with their paws.
Tie a rope or thick thread to the neck. Don't forget about the holes at the bottom so that water can drain and the food doesn't spoil.
That's it - the bottle is ready. Pour food and hang it from a branch.

If the bottle is wide, then you can cut holes on both sides, as in this diagram on a milk bottle. The distance between two holes is no more than 2-3 cm.

The simplest feeder can be made in a few minutes, and the birds will be able to overwinter during the hungry and cold season for them.

One and a half plastic bottles are the most popular. There are probably a couple of these plastic containers in your home right now. Let's make a feeder with spoons or ordinary wooden sticks.

Diagram and description of how to make a bird feeder from a 1.5-liter plastic bottle:

Take a 1.5 liter bottle and make 4 holes. Try to make them in the center. One hole should be at the bottom of the bottle, the other at the top.
Insert spoons or wooden sticks.
That's it - the feeder is ready. The food will be poured onto the surface of the wooden “spatula” as the birds eat it.

Advice: Make holes for one spoon along an inclined straight line so that food is constantly poured onto the bowl-shaped part of the spoon. In addition, the hole on the side where the bird will eat must be larger than the diameter of the spoon holder so that the food can easily fall into the bowl of the spoon.

Important: The bottle must be clean. If it comes from sweet water, wash it before you start making the fixture.

Advice: Pour food into this feeder through the top hole using a funnel. But first make holes and insert spoons.

If you want to make a large bird feeder so that several birds can easily peck grains at the same time in winter, then you will need a 5-liter plastic bottle. Such a feeder will look like a real bird house - large and comfortable.

How to make a bird feeder from a 5-liter plastic bottle? Here are the instructions:

Mark with a felt-tip pen the outline along which you will cut the holes. There can be 2 or 4 of them. Cut out the holes.

Then tape around all the edges of the holes with duct tape. Some craftsmen or craftswomen tie the edges with yarn. You can also burn them over a fire. Do as you feel comfortable.

Important: Do not use tape to cover the hole, as birds may peck at it and die from it.

If your bottle has a handle, then simply tie a ribbon to it. If there is no handle, then make a hole in the lid, then thread both ends of the string or ribbon through it and tie them together. There will be a loop at the top from which you can hang the feeder from a branch.

As you can see, making a large feeder is also simple and quick. Decorate it as you wish and your stylish bird feeding device is ready.

A feeder made of two plastic bottles is a device with a dispenser. You will not need to constantly add food; it will flow from the first bottle to the second as the birds eat the grains.

How to make an original bird feeder from 2 plastic bottles? Here are the instructions:

Take a large 5 liter bottle. Make holes on 4 sides as described above. Now set it aside and move on to the second bottle.
You need to cut off the bottom so that its neck does not reach the bottom of a large bottle by 2-3 cm. How much to cut will depend on the volume of your bottle.
Then pour the grain into the bottom of a large bottle and place the second bottle with its neck on top of it.
Now unscrew the cap of the big bottle and pour the grain into the second container. Screw on the lid, tie a rope to the neck and hang the feeder from the tree.

Here is another feeder made according to the same instructions, but from two bottles of equal volume.

If you need to make a feeder for your child in kindergarten or you want to hang it in the yard of your house, then it’s worth decorating this device. But, as mentioned above, do not use rustling or rattling materials for this so that the birds are not frightened by loud sounds. How to decorate a homemade bird feeder made from plastic bottles? Here are some options:

Draw any image on the surface of the bottle. If it is large in volume, then you can paint a real artistic landscape or make a drawing in the Russian folk style.

A colorful ornament will also perfectly decorate the feeder. Use your imagination and you will get a bright and original design for a bird feeder.

Paint a water bottle green, and the cut-out bottoms from other liter or one-and-a-half bottles in bright colors. Attach the resulting flowers to a green feeder, you will get a real bouquet.

Even children's toys are suitable for decoration.. For example, a “flying saucer” can be the roof of a feeding trough - original and beautiful. Draw a simple design on the bottle with ordinary multi-colored markers that do not wash off with water, and your bird shelter is ready.

If you are interested in weaving using the macrame technique, then you can tie a feeder from a 5-liter bottle with multi-colored twisted threads. This feeder will be in a single copy and will perfectly decorate any yard.

Show a little imagination, use different needlework techniques and you can make an original decoration for a bird feeder. Below you will find some interesting ideas for inspiration.

Doing something yourself is always interesting. Every home has many unnecessary things that can be used to create original feeders. Look at a few ideas and photos of beautiful homemade bird feeders made from plastic bottles, and you will definitely want to make such a device for birds:

If you have a straw bread box or candy bowl in your house, make this bee feeder - unusual and beautiful.

Here's another bee-themed feeder: an old broom, a painted plastic bottle and some toy bees. The winter garden will immediately sparkle with different colors.

This feeder, which consists of 3 bottles, is decorated only with braid and a small design. By the way, you can use old hair clips and other similar things to design such bird devices. Stick them on the bottles and the decor is ready!

Feeders are often decorated in Russian folk style. After all, they will hang among the trees and you want such things to complement the overall landscape design. Jute is woven around the finished feeder with holes cut out for birds, and a regular whitewash brush serves as the roof. Add an applique and your uniquely designed feeder is ready.

Beautiful homemade bird feeders made from plastic bottles

Here is another decoration option: the bottom of one bottle serves as a roof for a feeder, which is made from another plastic container of a slightly smaller volume.

And these feeders are like real bird houses - bright, colorful and original.

If you made a feeder from a plastic bottle and you want to continue creating, then you can make a couple more of the same devices. After all, in a cold winter, all the feeders will be in use: there are many birds, but little food - everything is covered with snow. You can use old tin cans and even dishes from the kitchen.

Making a bird feeder with your child is a great way to spend time and communicate, which children miss so much, because parents are constantly busy with things. Let's take time for our child and help the birds survive the winter.

Video: DIY bird feeders original ideas

From this article you can learn how to make bird feeders with your own hands: an overview of existing types of structures and general recommendations for their creation and placement, selection of suitable building materials, photos and drawings with a detailed description of the technology. The text contains unusual and original solutions that will allow you to create a comfortable and beautiful area for feeding birds in the garden or near the house.

If they want to improve the area near their house, many owners of summer cottages lay paved paths, lay out flower beds and flower beds, install benches and lanterns. All this creates comfort and coziness for the residents of the house. However, we should not forget about the small inhabitants of the garden, for whom, with the arrival of winter, it becomes more difficult to obtain food for themselves.

Making a bird feeder with your own hands will not only help birds overcome this difficult period, but will also add a certain charm to the garden. Using simple technologies, you can show your own imagination and create an original feeding house.

Advantages of homemade feeders:

the opportunity to take care of birds that find it difficult to obtain their own food;
decorative decoration of the yard;
an opportunity to instill in children a love of the environment and birds.

Moreover, such a decision can be implemented not only by owners of private and country houses, but also by residents of city apartments.

Is it profitable to buy a ready-made bird feeder: advantages and disadvantages

If you want to install a standard professionally made feeder in your yard, you can order the product from specialists. Experienced craftsmen will independently select high-quality materials and make the structure using special technologies.

Buyers are invited to choose a bird feeder with a design they like based on the picture. Such structures can have any size and shape. By purchasing a custom-made feeder, the consumer can be completely sure that it will meet his wishes and fit perfectly into the exterior of the yard.

Purchasing finished products comes with both advantages and disadvantages. The negative aspects of this include the high cost of professionally made feeders. In addition, the buyer deprives himself of the joys of the creative process and waiting for the birds to arrive. Therefore, many people prefer to create their own houses for feeding birds in their yard or near a window.

Note! The design of the feeder must be reliable, so it is advisable to select practical and durable materials for its construction that will protect the birds from precipitation and wind.

What requirements must a homemade bird feeder meet?

When choosing a specific design for a homemade feeder, you need to take into account not only the type of birds for which the design will be made, but also other nuances. Birds mainly rely on their vision, so the poured food should be visible to them from afar.

The design of the structure must be such that the grain is not covered with snow or blown by the wind. High sides and a roof will help to cope with this problem. It is unacceptable for moisture to get on the feed. Otherwise, the grains will become moldy and spoiled. It is desirable that there is protection from chipmunks and squirrels. In this case, the birds should not experience any difficulties when removing food.

Drawings of bird feeders, of which there are many on the Internet, can be successfully used as a visual aid for creating a beautiful design. First of all, you should pay attention to practical and convenient options. The food should not spill onto the ground, otherwise it will attract small predators such as stoats, weasels, and ferrets. Their presence poses a direct threat to birds.

If the structure will be used for temporary feeding in winter, it is better to hang it. Thus, the feeder will attract less sparrows, which find food much easier than other birds. Stationary structures are used for constant feeding. In this case, protection from predators is mandatory. It is desirable that the grain is located on a level area of sufficiently large size that maintains good stability.

Types of bird feeders: photos and descriptions of designs

The design of homemade feeders is practically unlimited. The main thing is that the design meets the basic requirements of practicality, reliability and safety.

Classification of bird feeders by type of design:

suspension;
area;
house;
bunker;
tray;
peeler

Each of these designs has its own characteristics and is designed for certain types of birds.

Original do-it-yourself bird feeders: photos of hanging structures

The designs of the suspensions are very simple. In this case, the food is suspended in a mesh case or on a thread. They are used primarily as tit feeders. Although other species of insectivorous birds, with the exception of woodpeckers, can also use dewlaps.

The most common version of “antifreeze” feeding is a piece of lard without spices and salt. There are also more nutritious mixtures that are designed for shelling birds. A ball made of seeds is suitable for them. Peanut oil or lard (gutter fat) is used as a binding component.

Note! You should not cast the feed mass into a beautiful mold or plastic cup and then freeze it. The ball is more comfortable for birds. This makes it much easier for them to cling and they don’t have to expend a lot of energy to keep themselves afloat while feeding.

It is most convenient to form a ball consisting of feed mass with your hands. This must be done in the cold. The fat will harden very quickly, so after forming a ball, you need to hang it up immediately.

Related article:

Drawings, interesting and practical solutions for creating fences in street and apartment conditions, taking into account the breed and size of the animal.

Hanging bird feeder crafts can be made with specific types of birds in mind. Great tits prefer garlands made from dried berries. They especially like rose hips. Peanuts in pods are allowed.

The best option for blue tits would be swing feeders. In this case, it is advisable to hang the balls on elastic and thin branches so that they balance.

The beautiful do-it-yourself bird feeders, made in the form of mobiles or movable sculptures, look original in the photo. Such designs can even attract great tits, which will not conflict with blue tits.

Hanging options made from cones are suitable for attracting bullfinches, shelling birds and waxwings. To make the feeder visible from afar, you can hang a bright bunch of rowan or viburnum on it. It is advisable to use a fertile cone for this. If this is not possible, any with ruffled scales will do. It needs to be doused with peanut butter. After this, food is placed between the scales and the cone can be hung. Even crossbills may like such cones.

You cannot use paper to create such structures, but you can make a beautiful bird feeder with your own hands from a thick base from a toilet paper roll. It is advisable to attach bright pieces of fabric or paper from below that will attract the attention of birds.

Convenient DIY bird feeders: photos of tray structures and platforms

Platform feeders are a flat surface on which food is placed. The advantage of such designs is that birds can see the presence of food from afar. However, there are some disadvantages to a DIY flat wooden bird feeder. Firstly, there are no fences to provide protection from the wind. As a result, large quantities of food swell and fall down. Secondly, nothing prevents sparrows from actively using these feeders.

The fact is that sparrows live in flocks. These nosy birds, unlike pigeons and crows, can freely penetrate small feeders and empty them, not giving a chance to other birds, for whom it is much more difficult to obtain food in winter. To eliminate this possibility, it is advisable to avoid the use of open structures.

Sparrows are very careful. In case of danger, they take off straight from their place steeply. Therefore, the best option would be a birdhouse made of cardboard or wood with a steep roof that has more overhang. It is desirable that the structure have low windows to provide birds with access to food. In this case, the sparrows will first have to flutter to the side before flying away, so such feeders are unattractive to them.

Helpful advice! In winter, birds could use a vitamin supplement. To do this, you can put pear and apple cores with seeds, viburnum berries, elderberries, rowan berries, the fibrous part of a pumpkin with seeds, dried rose hips, and grape seeds in the feeder. You can use cherry pits from compote.

For those birds that constantly live on the site, a home-made original tray-type bird feeder is suitable. You can install a perch or landing pad in front of the tray (window that provides access to food).

There are two types of tray feeders:

With free access to the mixture.
With automatic feeding of food into the tray.

A window bird feeder with automatic feeding is much more practical than bunker structures. In this case, the food practically does not wake up. Trough structures are designed specifically for one type of bird. It is possible to use a feeder for several species of birds. However, creating such a structure will require not only appropriate skills and tools, but also ornithological knowledge.

DIY birdhouses: photos of birdhouses and similar structures

Feeders in the form of houses protect food well from snow. By equipping the structure with a roof, you can protect the inside from the wind and sparrows. But a beautiful bird feeder in the shape of a house does not provide protection against food spillage. Therefore, only those birds that are accustomed to feeding will be present on the site. For forest birds, this option is very inconvenient, because they are drawn to human habitation only in cases of crisis and may simply not notice grains that have spilled onto the ground.

A structure in the form of a house with a sloping roof can be made from a box. If possible, it is advisable to treat such a cardboard feeder with a diluted adhesive composition. For this purpose, PVA is suitable, which is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:3 or 1:5. The supports are made of sticks, which are also attached with glue. If everything is done correctly, such a feeder will last for several seasons. The structure is nailed to the tree.

A beautiful feeder with a pitched roof will be the best option for strong, large birds. These include nutcrackers, waxwings, jays and pigeons. All of them can sit quietly in a row during feeding, so it is better to equip the dining room with a long perch.

Wood or very thick pre-treated cardboard can be used as a manufacturing material. The design for large birds should be much larger than for ordinary birds. In this case, you need to select bird feeder drawings with dimensions that will suit them.

Note! A shoebox bird feeder is not suitable for feeding large birds. The cardboard in such designs is very thin. Strong birds will very quickly break the feeder while feeding.

Practical do-it-yourself feeders: photos of bunker structures and shellers

Bunker-type structures are the best option if an anti-sparrow feeder is required. In this case, the feeding area is limited in size, so the entire flock cannot accommodate. The sparrows will have no choice but to eat alternately with the company of other birds.

Unusual bunker-type bird feeders can have different designs. It is advisable that a product designed for small spotted woodpeckers and tits be equipped with a hard, narrow platform. Anti-sparrow versions are much wider and have a roof. Modern materials make it possible to create a bunker structure in just 5 minutes.

To make your own bottle feeder you will need a minimum set of tools and materials:

nylon thread;
bottle (PET);
Super glue;
plastic plate;
large needle;
knife and scissors.

Plastic is a very practical and durable material that is not afraid of moisture and frost. This feeder will last for several seasons.

Shelling feeders are less popular. They are designed for a specific type of bird. In this case, the feed is retained using a special metal mesh. The design can be improved by making it combined. For this purpose, the peeling feeder is combined with the tray version. Thanks to this, birds of different species can coexist in one area.

How to make bird feeders: choosing materials for work

Having decided on the type of future design, you need to decide what the feeder will be made of. A variety of materials can be used for these purposes. Everyone has many of them in their home, so you can not only create an original bird feeder with your own hands, but also do it at minimal cost.

The following materials are usually used to make poultry canteen:

plastic;
paper and cardboard;
wood;
plywood;
improvised materials (bottles, boxes, milk or juice bags, etc.).

Each of the listed materials is suitable for creating certain types of structures and has both advantages and disadvantages.

Features of bird feeders made from plastic bottles and trays

Plastic feeders are the most popular option. This material has many advantages.

Advantages of feeders made of plastic bottles and trays:

Availability of material.
The transparent walls of the structure make the food visible from afar.
Ease of processing.
Minimum amount of garbage and waste.
There is no need to use special tools.
High strength and durability.

Important! The roof of a plastic feeder in the form of a house should be opaque or at least matte. In case of danger, birds may not notice the transparent plane above and hit it.

A good way to create a small, visible bird feeder from scrap materials is to use old children's toys, such as blocks. They are made of polyethylene, so it is advisable to use superglue for fixation. Such designs have bright and rich colors, so it will be easy for birds to find food. Polyethylene is easy to process. To cut round holes in the walls, you can use a compass with two needles. Polyethylene is a slippery material, so it is advisable to equip the feeder with a perch.

As a plastic building material, you can use scraps of transparent polycarbonate that may have remained after renovations in the house. This feeder can be mounted on a window using suction cups from bathroom shelves.

Bird feeders made from bottles and other unsuitable containers deserve special attention. The main thing is that the design is well thought out. To ensure visibility of the feed, it is advisable to use a wide tray. The presence of a perch will make feeding birds more convenient. If you take a large tray and a capacious container, you will not have to frequently replenish food supplies. As a result, the birds will be less timid.

To make a bird feeder with your own hands from a plastic bottle, it is advisable to use a trough-shaped tray. In this case, spillage of feed will be insignificant. If you bend up the lid of the hatch that provides access to the food, the feeder will turn out to be anti-passerine. In this case, the plane that is formed at the top can be used to place vitamin supplements.

Features of making homemade feeders from a box

milk;
kefir;
juice, etc.

Despite the fact that these bags are made of cardboard, their walls are covered with film on both sides. Therefore, laminated feeders can withstand one winter.

Small bags left over from juice or milk are ideal as feeders for the following types of birds:

goldfinches;
tits;
granivores.

In this case, you must install a perch stick to make it easier for the birds to get food.

Helpful advice! To attract the Great Spotted Woodpecker to the tit feeder, just attach a wooden circle to the bottom of the valve. This will make it easier for the bird to attach itself to the structure.

Large bags can be used to make universal bird feeders. To do this, you need to cut a large opening so that the food can be seen from afar. If the feeder is hanging, it needs to be pierced with a perch. The structure from the package can be placed in a bush. In this case, a perch will not be required; its function will be performed by the branches.

Eco-friendly do-it-yourself bird feeders made of wood

The advantage of wooden feeders is their durability. Most often, such structures are stationary.

As a protective treatment you can use:

drying oil;
water-polymer composition;
mixture in the form of diluted PVA glue.

To build a bird feeder out of wood with your own hands, you will definitely need carpentry tools and skills in handling them. Traditional models look like a house. It is not recommended to put a flat roof on the feeder, as this will expose the food to weathering.

Standard house-shaped designs can be improved and specialized for a specific type of bird through minor changes. For example, a feeder with a gable roof without railings can be used as a public option. If you build a small sheathing around the perimeter, such a dining room will appeal to shelling birds. It quite realistically imitates natural feeding conditions. A similar model with a continuous low fence will achieve an anti-sparrow effect and protect food from the wind.

A design in which the roof has low slopes will also provide protection against swelling of the feed. Such a feeder will be used by sparrows only as a last resort.

An alternative to a suspended wood structure would be a DIY bird feeder made of plywood. To create it, you will also need wooden blocks with a section size of 3x3 or 3x4 cm. To avoid the use of lumber, you can make bars from strips of plywood by gluing. However, for stationary feeders on poles, it is preferable to use solid wood, since plywood in outdoor conditions will delaminate after a few seasons, regardless of the quality of the protective impregnation.

Helpful advice! If you use waterproof birch sheets to build a bird feeder from plywood, you can get a reliable and durable structure. This material perfectly withstands outdoor conditions.

DIY bird feeders from scrap materials

Unusual and original designs can be made from scrap materials, the creation of which can focus on design or functional features.

An ear of corn can be used as a feeder. To do this, a nail is passed through it. This version of a bird feeder made from scrap materials can simply be hung or made part of a stationary structure. Corn should be firm, preferably oilseed or fodder varieties. The smaller the grains, the better.

It is better to avoid using table sugar cobs, as they are harmful to birds. Their grains contain large amounts of sugar and starch. The corn feeder is designed for large frugivorous and granivorous birds, as well as shellers.

You can use Popsicle sticks as a building material to create a wooden bird feeder. During the summer season they can be accumulated in sufficient quantities. To make such a structure you will need string and PVA glue. You can install a pole of larger popsicle sticks on each side of the feeder. Thanks to this, the dining room can be used by 4 birds at the same time, for example, chickadees or siskins.

An excellent option would be a wicker basket-shaped feeder with a hanging lid. To create it you will need paper tubes, which can be made from old newspapers. The weaving technology is quite complex and labor-intensive, so not everyone will decide to take on the construction of such a feeder, but the result exceeds all expectations. To prevent paper straws from becoming soggy, they need to be treated with a protective compound (glue and stain).

A large metal tin can is also suitable for constructing a feeder. It is suspended on a rope in a horizontal position. To prevent food from spilling onto the ground, you need to install a small damper. The top part of the lid, bent in half, is suitable for this. You definitely need to install a perch.

Important! Regardless of the type of design, the feeder must be safe. Wooden models must be thoroughly sanded and all sharp corners must be rounded. Metal options can be wrapped with twine, which sits on the glue.

Making bird feeders: drawings, descriptions and technologies

Having decided on the type of design and material, you can begin the actual manufacture of the feeder. It is worth noting that not all types of grains are suitable for feeding birds. The favorite food of birds that stay for the winter are seeds of wild grasses. It is desirable that these are burdock plant species. A turnip seed is suitable, which can be collected in the summer or purchased ready-made at a pet store.

Homemade feeders can be filled with:

oats and millet;
small sunflower seeds (unroasted);
hemp and flax seeds;
dried pods of acacias that live in mid-latitudes (wisteria, honey locust, sophora, etc.);
pumpkin seeds;
dry pea pods (they must be ripe and firm);
pine nuts;
millet (in small doses);
seeds of deciduous trees such as ash, hornbeam, linden, maple, alder;
acorns and seeds of coniferous trees, for example, beech nuts, ruffled cones (if the feeder is designed for shellers).

Note! The use of rye, wheat and bread is not allowed. They are harmful to birds. Moreover, black bread is the most dangerous because it causes inflammation of the goiter. Porridges that swell greatly during cooking, such as buckwheat, pearl barley, and rice, are poorly received. The peel of any tropical fruits and citrus fruits is lethal to birds.

How to make a birdhouse with your own hands: assembling a wooden structure

To build a wooden birdhouse you will need skills in working with carpentry tools.

For work you will need the following materials:

wooden beam for racks (2x4.5 cm);
a square of plywood as flooring on the bottom (25x25 cm);
wooden pieces for roofing (22x35 cm, 2 pcs.);
fastening elements (adhesive, screws, nails).

It doesn’t hurt to first find a suitable drawing of the feeder, which will help you navigate when assembling the parts.

First, the base is assembled: sides and bottom. To do this, the bars, pre-cut according to the size of the bottom, are glued on the end sides and fixed with self-tapping screws. The result is a wooden frame. A pair of sides running parallel should be made longer than the bottom by about 5 cm. They will be used to install perches. The bottom is nailed to the frame using nails.

At the next stage of making a feeder with your own hands, stands are mounted from wood. To do this, you need to screw the corresponding parts on the inside of the box. The optimal length is 18-20 cm.

The rafter system is attached to the racks. To do this, you need to connect a pair of beams at right angles. To strengthen the place of fixation, the joint is secured with a piece of timber. The result is a right angle with equal sides. According to the drawing, it is necessary to make two such parts.

Helpful advice! To properly connect the parts of a wooden bird feeder when fastening the bars, you need to lay the flat, wide part on the table. After this, an additional element is attached to the top at the appropriate angle.

Then the rafters are attached to the posts using self-tapping screws. Next, the roof slopes are installed. To do this, two wooden elements are installed on the rafters. If you have a wooden corner available, you can make a ridge. A bird feeder made of wood needs a perch. To do this, sticks or window beads are glued between an elongated pair of sides.

This design can be either stationary or suspended. It can be installed on a pole or, by making a couple of holes in the ridge, hung on a wire.

How to make a bird feeder with your own hands from wood: plywood structure

An alternative to a wooden feeder is a structure made of plywood.

The material allows you to choose any modification:

open;
with a gable or flat roof;
with bunker compartment.

Plywood is a derivative of wood, but it is much cheaper and lighter in weight. Before you make a bird feeder from wood, you must select the appropriate drawing. In this case, you need to take into account the type of birds living in the region. Large birds such as magpies, pigeons and jays can eat all the food, leaving small birds without food. Therefore, if the feeder is designed for tits, the openings should be such that large species cannot reach the grains.

For work you will need the following tools and materials:

jigsaw;
sandpaper;

water-based adhesive composition;
nails and hammer;
plywood sheet;
timber with a section size of 2x2 cm.

In accordance with the drawing, markings are applied to the plywood sheet. After which all the parts are carefully cut out using a jigsaw. A square element of 25x25 cm will be used as a flooring for the bottom. To build the roof, you need to take larger parts, otherwise moisture will drain onto the feed. The edges of the resulting blanks must be sanded.

You need to cut 4 posts, each 25-30 cm long, from the timber. If the structure has a pitched (flat) roof, a pair of bars should be shortened by 2-3 cm. The cut is made at an angle. All joints between parts are treated with adhesive and then fastened with nails. The racks are installed on the bottom, and the sides are fixed to them. A roof is installed at the top of the racks. The structure can be installed permanently or suspended using a hook and hardware.

Helpful advice! If a wooden feeder will be opened with varnish, it is recommended to use a water-based composition for this so as not to harm the birds.

How to make a feeder with your own hands: hanging structure made of grain

Suspended structures made of grain are the simplest option. This design can be made in a few hours.

To work you will need:

raw bird food;
oat groats;
egg;
gelatin;
flour;
needle and thick thread;
thick cardboard and scissors;
pencil and molds for filling.

How to make an edible bird feeder with your own hands:

Draw the shape you like on the cardboard, for example, a square, circle, triangle, heart, etc.
Cut out the shape according to the markings.
Form a fastening by threading a needle and making a hole.
Prepare the adhesive mixture. To do this, mix the following ingredients: 1 tsp. honey, egg, 2 tbsp. l. oatmeal and a small amount of flour.
Leave the mixture for half an hour.
Apply the adhesive mixture over the cardboard base.
Mix grain feed with adhesive mass.
Apply the resulting mixture onto the cardboard base.

After this, the grain feeder should be placed in the refrigerator for several hours. Once the mixture has hardened, the products can be hung on tree branches in the yard.

There is another technology for making edible feeders:

Dissolve a packet of gelatin in warm water.
Pour food into it.
Place the resulting mass into molds.
Insert thread for hanging.
Place the molds in the refrigerator for several hours.

After hardening, the feeders are completely ready for use. To make it easier for birds to grab onto, the molds can be placed in bright mesh bags.

How to make a bird feeder from a plastic bottle

Every home has unnecessary plastic containers. Therefore, many people are thinking about creating a bottle feeder. The material is cut with scissors or a knife, and the design is transparent and very light. This option is especially convenient since there are several ways to create plastic feeders.

How to make a feeder from a plastic bottle:

A pair of holes are cut out on both sides of the bottle. They should be located symmetrically. The shape can be any: arch, square, circle, rectangle.
Spacers must be left between the holes.
You can make a rain canopy by making an inverted U-shaped slot and bending the plate upward.
The lower edge of the slots where the birds will land must be secured. To do this, the cut is covered with fabric insulating tape or adhesive tape.
In the lower part you need to make symmetrical holes.
A perch stick is inserted into the resulting holes.

This feeder can be mounted on a tree. To do this, the jumper is wrapped with rope, tape or other material.

Helpful advice! If you insert twine through the lid of a birdhouse from a bottle, having previously made holes in it, you can form a loop that will allow you to hang the structure on a tree branch.

Do-it-yourself bunker feeder from a plastic bottle

The bunker design is very rational. It allows you to fill up the feed mixture with a supply of several days. As the birds eat the grains, the additive will automatically flow into the tray.

To work, you will need a couple of bottles of the same capacity. Markings are applied to one container using a marker. Near the bottom, you need to make holes similar to those made in the previous version of the plastic feeder, and then remove 1/3 of the bottle (from above).

A pair of symmetrical holes are made in the upper part. These will be used to hang the feeder using ribbons or twine. The second bottle will contain food. In the narrowest part of this container, several holes should be made through which the grains will spill. Don't make the holes very large. If necessary, it is better to expand them later.

The corresponding bottle must be filled with the feed mixture, screw the cap into it and place it inside the container, which is cut off by 1/3. After this, twine is pulled through the holes and the structure is suspended from the tree.

How to make a bottle feeder: a simple design with a spoon

There is another version of the bunker design - a feeder with a spoon. A bottle with a capacity of 1.5-2 liters is suitable for this. First, you need to make a hole in the cork and stretch the twine through it. Using it, the structure will be suspended on a branch. Then you need to make holes symmetrically (one on each side of the bottle). They should be the size of a wooden spoon.

On the side where the deep part of the spoon will be placed, the hole needs to be slightly widened so that it is convenient for the birds to take food. All that remains is to fill the feeder with the selected feed mixture and hang it in a convenient place.

Helpful advice! To prevent the bunker feeder from accumulating moisture, several holes need to be made in the bottom. To do this, you can use a small nail or a hot needle.

How to make a bird feeder from a 5 liter bottle

5 liter water bottles can hold much more feed than standard containers. In addition, the large size of the container allows you to make several holes, so that a large number of birds can feed at the same time at the feeder.

To work you will need:

wire or ribbon for hanging;
clean bottle;
birdseed;
cutting tool, such as pruning shears, scissors or a utility knife.

First, a hole is made for hanging the structure. Its location will depend on the nature of the placement of the feeder on the tree:

Horizontally - a pair of wide holes are made (one near the neck, the other from the bottom).
Vertically - at a distance of 5-7 cm from the bottom of the bottle, you need to cut 3 rectangular holes or several square ones.

It is most convenient to hang the bottle by the neck. If the structure will be fixed in a horizontal position, you need to make two holes in the wall and, passing twine through them, fix the feeder to the tree. Plastic structures are very light. To prevent the bottle from being swayed by the wind, it is advisable to place ¼ of a brick at the bottom before pouring food into it.

Technology for creating a bunker feeder from a 5 liter bottle

To create a bunker feeder, you will need several bottles (5 l - 1 pc., 1.5 l - 2 pcs.), as well as a stationery knife, rope and marker. First, markings are applied to large containers. Using a marker, the area near the bottom is marked where the hole will be placed, which will serve as a taphole. It is best to make 2 small slots and one large one through which you can install a 1.5 liter bottle.

Then a U-shaped hole is cut upside down. The upper part should be folded back to form a protective canopy against rain. The lower edge of the opening is sealed with adhesive tape so that the birds do not get hurt during feeding.

In those areas where the bottle placed inside comes into contact with the bottom of a large container, as well as in areas slightly higher, you need to make holes. As the food is eaten, the grains will spill out through them. A round hole is made in the cap of a 5 liter bottle so that after screwing the thread, the neck of the inner container rises. Then you need to cut off the neck of the second bottle along with the top. The result should be a funnel. It should be placed on the neck of the inner bottle and screw on the cap. The feeder is ready.

Helpful advice! It is advisable to install a feeder under the roof to make the birds more comfortable. A canopy or gazebo is suitable for this.

How to make a feeder from a box: process description

A homemade bird feeder can be made from the simplest materials available. Almost every home contains boxes of food, shoes or electrical appliances. For work, it is advisable to select thick cardboard. An ideal option would be a bird feeder out of a box with a laminated coating, which will increase the service life of the structure.

The advantage of this method is that the box already has walls, a bottom and a roof. Therefore, the steps to convert it into a feeder will be minimal; you will only need to cut rectangular or square holes on the sides.

To make a bird feeder with your own hands from a box, you will need a utility knife or scissors, cord and tape. Since cardboard is short-lived and vulnerable to moisture, it should be wrapped with tape for protection. This is done after the feeder is ready. When holes are cut in the side walls to access the feed, you need to secure the cord and hang the feeder. To prevent the structure from swaying from the wind, you should put some pebbles or sand on the bottom.

You can change the technology slightly. In this case, the box lid is glued perpendicularly. As a result, it will serve as a stern stand. The second part of the box will replace the roof and fences. The structure must be sealed with tape.

Next you need to organize a mounting system for hanging. To do this, a pair of hooks is made from wire. A piece of wire is bent in half and the end makes a puncture through the “ceiling” part of the feeder. After this, the wire is twisted and bent on the inside. Now the feeder can be hung on a branch.

How to make a feeder from a juice or milk box

To create such a design, you will need a tetra pack bag for liquid food products, such as juice or milk.

List of necessary materials and tools for work:

wire for hanging or nylon rope;
a clean milk or juice carton;
adhesive plaster;
stationery knife or scissors;
marker.

The feeder should be comfortable for the birds, so markings are applied to the cardboard and a pair of holes of sufficient size are cut on opposite sides. The through space will allow birds to move and feed easily. For safety reasons, the window should be covered with adhesive tape.

Under the slots you need to pierce a hole with scissors and insert cardboard rolled into a tube into it. This will be a roost. The material for its manufacture can be taken from scraps left over from previous operations. In the corners you need to make small holes where the rope or wire will be stretched for hanging. A milk carton feeder can be tied to a branch or mounted on a tree trunk.

Helpful advice! To prevent the structure from swaying, it is better to cut slots not on opposite sides, but on adjacent walls of the bag.

The feeder can be made from two juice packets. The first tetra pack needs to be cut along the narrow side parts so that the top remains intact. 1/3 of the second bag is cut off, and a hole should be cut on the front side. This area will be used as a stern board. The bottom of the second tetra pack must be combined with the first bag. If everything is done correctly, you should end up with a triangle. To fix the parts, it is better to use glue, as well as wrapping with tape.

How to decorate a bird feeder with your own hands: interesting ideas

When the feeder is ready, you can start decorating it. In this case, everything depends solely on imagination. The design of homemade bird canteens is practically unlimited, the main thing is that all decorative elements are environmentally friendly and safe for birds.

How to decorate a feeder using scrap materials:

paint the structure with a coloring compound;
decorate with weaving from ropes or twine;
use materials of natural origin as decoration, for example, moss, tree bark and branches, cones, acorns, chestnuts;
decoration with colored ropes;
use of chains with unusually shaped links, etc.

On the Internet you can find many interesting ideas for decorating homemade feeders. If you approach this issue thoroughly, you can make a house of an unusual shape. After that, the paint remaining after the repair, various figures and colored paper are used for decoration. However, you should not overdo it with rustling and shiny parts, otherwise the birds will be scared. In addition, decorative elements should not create obstacles to feed collection.

The use of paint will not only change the color of the structure, but also protect the material from the negative influence of atmospheric factors. Coloring can be monochromatic or multi-colored. In this case, you can use various drawings. It is better if their theme is intertwined with winter motifs. You can find many interesting stencils on sale that will simplify the decorating process.

You can get an interesting design if you decorate a wooden structure in the form of a beehive or a miniature mill. This work is very meticulous, but if you try, you can achieve complete resemblance to real buildings. Decoration in the form of small branches will add natural charm to the design. You can hang a beautiful pine cone or an edible garland at the entrance, the main thing is that it does not block access to food.

Old dishes can be used for decoration, for example, a saucer with a cup or a teapot. To do this, 4 holes are drilled in the saucer and a rope is pulled through them. After this, the cup is glued to the saucer. This design can be hung in any corner of the yard. The design of the feeders looks original with carvings, bright paintings, pieces of leather and appliqués. By creating several designs in the same style, you can get a beautiful composition that will highlight the exterior of the yard.

By spending a little time building a bird feeder with your own hands, you can not only provide the feathered inhabitants of your garden with a tasty snack, but also get a worthy decoration for your yard.

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

An easy way to give food to birds

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

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

We use plastic bottles

From a plastic bottle you can build both a very simple and a multifunctional dining room for birds. Let's take a closer look at some feeder ideas and their implementation.

Hastily

If we cut a hole in the side of the bottle, we can say that we have done half the job. Near the neck you need to make 2 holes with an awl, insert a wire and secure the feeder to a branch of a tree or bush. If you pour food on the bottom, after a while you will be able to see birds flocking there.

To prevent moisture from spoiling the food if precipitation gets inside the bottle, drainage holes must be made in the bottom of the container.

Complicating the design

You can make a feeder with a “dispensing window” from a plastic bottle. Having selected a container of suitable size, cut a small hole on one side and pierce the bottle with scissors on the opposite side. Insert the wooden spoon with the handle forward so that it fits tightly into the pierced hole. The spoon should be positioned so that the grains roll into it as the birds peck at the food. The number of spoons involved may vary, but most often there are two.

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

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

Glass feeder

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

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

The positive aspects include the fact that you can watch the birds by getting almost close to them. A significant disadvantage is that the birds defecate near the feeder, so the glass and tide will be unsightly.

Video: making a feeder from a plastic bottle

Use of glass

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

Video: glass feeder

Other materials at hand

It won’t be difficult to come up with a lot of ways to feed birds.

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

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

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

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

Pumpkin

A pumpkin feeder can be called a waste-free production, since the birds first eat the food, and then the edible “dining room” itself. All you have to do is cut holes in the pumpkin and remove the core.

You can cut the pumpkin in half and thread a rope through both halves with a knot tied at the bottom. To fix it in a disconnected state, you need to install spacers made of twigs between the halves. As a last resort, you can use pencils as stands. The top edge of the rope threaded through the pumpkin is tied to a branch, and the feeder is ready to receive feathered guests.

Video: pumpkin feeder

Sofa spring

Things and items that usually have nowhere else to be used can be used.

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

Car air filter

A metal mesh feeder can be seen on a store counter, but a similar structure can be built from a used paper car air filter.

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

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

Teapot for brewing

If you have an old kettle and it would be a pity to throw it away, but it can no longer be used for its intended purpose, then you can make a feeder out of it. How to hang it? Drilling a hole in a piece of earthenware is a very thankless task, so you can use hot glue. If there is a hole in the lid, then you need to insert the ends of the rope into it and make a knot inside. To be on the safe side, it is better to tie a small washer. Now the lid can be glued to the teapot, the neck of which will now serve as an entrance for the birds.

Looking into a barn or pantry, you can find things that are “hard to carry, but a pity to throw away.” This category includes an old metal bread bin. You don't need much imagination to place it - just tie a rope and hang it on a branch.

You can use an unnecessary plastic container in a similar way.

Using different boxes

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

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

When cutting out a window, you can take care to protect the food from precipitation. For this purpose, a small visor is left, but to prevent it from falling down and blocking the entrance, it can be secured with a nylon thread in the open position.

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

Tin box

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

In addition to the jar itself, we will need:

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

Now let's start manufacturing.

As accurately as possible, you need to mark 4 points on the jar and transfer the same marks to the lid.
Using an awl, you need to make holes according to the marks so that the cotter pin fits through them.

Using wire cutters, cut the chain into four pieces of 50 cm each.
Having threaded the cotter pin through the outermost link of the chain, insert it into the hole and use pliers to push its ends apart from the inside of the can.

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

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

Branches

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

Plywood

Plywood products are quite durable, but are susceptible to moisture.

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

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

Log

When preparing firewood, logs with rotten cores are encountered. This piece of trunk will serve as our base. You need to remove the core. Windows are drilled into the hollow trunk or its longitudinal part is cut out. The ends are closed with selected “plaques”, sawed off from other trunks. A tree trunk feeder can be found in both horizontal and vertical versions.

For production you will need:

self-tapping screws;
small nails;
slats.

To make the roof and bottom, you can use plastic or HDF (whatever you can find, since this material is sold only in large sheets).

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

They can be lightly sanded.

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

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

We will install the frame on the prepared bottom and outline the outside with a pencil - this will give us a marking according to which we will need to cut out this part and then nail it.

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

From the remaining slats we will make the upper part of the feeder, fastening the parts with self-tapping screws. The final stage will be marking, sawing and securing the roof. The junction of two sheets of roof sheathing can be hidden by nailing an angle strip on top.

There are some points that need to be taken into account when making and determining where to install the feeder:

You should not underestimate cats, because they can get to the feeder, and then the birds will fly away or become prey to a domestic predator.
The feeder needs to be made with a large roof, then a lot of precipitation will not fall into it.
The entrance to the feeder should not be small, as fear may be stronger than hunger, and the birds may not take advantage of your hospitality.
It is better to make the structure from moisture-resistant material, then it will last a long time. Other materials must be treated with water-repellent compounds.
If the feeder is too light or has a large windage, then a gust of wind can turn it upside down. Even turning over for a short time will result in all the food ending up on the ground. The lightweight structure needs to be weighted down.