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Remove all the labels and stickers from the soda bottle.
Wash and dry the bottle.
The bottom of the bottle will be top of the feeder.
Drill two small holes in the bottom of the bottle. Thread wire through one hole and out the other. Twist the ends of the wire together to make a loop for hanging the feeder. Use a small piece of duct tape or caulk to seal the holes so rain can not get into the feeder.
Using a drill, make 5/16" holes that are on opposite sides of the bottle. Insert 8" - 9" by 5/16" dowels into the pairs of holes.
Repeat the above step to make several more perches.
If you want a thistle (niger) seed feeder, make 1/4" by 1/8" slots 1 ½" above the perches.
If you want a sunflower seed feeder, make 5/15" holes 1 ½" - 2" above the perches.
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Take a three-pound coffee can and with an old-fashioned
beer can opener make three or four holes approx. one inch apart at the extreme bottom of
the can. Don't push the tin inside each hole all the way down, but leave each hole
partially blocked on the inside of the can. Otherwise sunflower seeds will spill onto the ground too easily.
Punch two small holes on opposite sides of the can so that a small length of string, rope, or chain can be pulled through and tied to a
tree limb or other means of support. Make certain that the two holes are punched just
below the bottom edge of the plastic lid that comes with the can.
Place the plastic lid on the filled can and run a piece of duct tape across the top, over the plastic lid, and partially down each
side. This helps to prevent chipmunks and squirrels from pushing the lid off. |
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Wash and dry a half gallon cardboard milk carton.
Using a ruler, measure and mark a line 2½" up from the bottom of the carton on two adjoining sides. (See illustration)
Using a ruler, measure and mark a line 2½" down from the top edge of the carton on two adjoining sides. (See illustration)
Cut the sides off between the marked lines on the two adjoining sides.
Using a small hole punch, make two small holes in the very top edge of the carton.
Put string through the holes.
Hang the feeder from a branch or post. Fill it with seed, suet or mealworms. |
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One of the easiest feeders to make is constructed from a
coffee can with a snap-on plastic lid. Cut off the bottom and snap a lid on that end. Cut
a 11/4-inch hole in each lid, a bit off center near the edge. Pass a wire through the can
before snapping on the lids, and hang it from a branch. An alternative is to put a bolt
through the top surface of the can and fasten the wire to it. This feeder can be filled
with sunflower seeds or Niger seed right up to the hole. Punch a small hole in the can
near each end at the bottom so water will drain out if any gets through the entrances.
The transparent lids make the food obvious to the birds. The interior is so bright that they are not reluctant to enter. |
