Birdseed Ornaments – How to Make DIY Bird Feeder Ornaments (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a bird feeder ornament? ›

String Ornaments

Cut a piece of twine approximately 8" in length and thread through hole. Hang ornaments outside on tree branches for birds to enjoy. Tip: Wrap in cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon and handmade tag to turn this craft into a gift.

Bring the lard up to room temperature. Clean the pine cone(s) and tie a long piece of twine around the bottom of each one. Gradually mix the lard with the birdseed until it all sticks together. Push the fat ball mix between the pine cone scales to create a big, tasty fat ball.

Store bird feeder ornaments in an airtight container or zip-top back in a dry, cool place, away from moisture and heat. If stored correctly, birdseed ornaments will last for 4 to 6 months.

Empty 1 package of unflavored gelatin into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Let this sit for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup of boiling water to the gelatin, stirring for a few minutes or until the gelatin is dissolved. This is the binder that keeps seeds together.

Birds love energy-rich fat balls, which give them all the calories they need to get through cold winter days and nights. You can buy them in the shops but they're easy to make at home. Simply mix kitchen scraps such as cheese, cake crumbs and dry porridge oats with melted lard or suet, and set in the fridge overnight.

Skewer an empty plastic bottle with two wooden spoons and fill with birdseed for this super easy feeder. You'll need a utility blade like an X-Acto knife to cut the holes for the spoons. Be sure to cut larger holes by the mouths of the spoons so birdseed can spill out.

What is the easiest homemade bird feeder? ›

Empty plastic soda bottles or gallon milk jug containers also make good DIY winter bird feeders. Tie some twine or string around the bottle, add perches—tree twigs, pencils, dowels, chopsticks, or wooden spoons—and insert birdseed into the receptacle and you're good to go.

Some people prefer not to feed birds in the spring and summer when there is abundant food. However, leaving your feeders up year-round is not a problem as long as you keep a few things in mind: If bears live near you, you should not keep feeders up during the warmer months.

Heavy-duty plastic zip bags, sturdy plastic bins, and galvanized metal cans are popular bird seed storage containers. Larger containers on wheels, such as trash cans or coolers, can also be useful for storing birdseed.

Yes! Gelatin is generally safe (in moderation) for birds. In fact, many birders use a gelatin base when making homemade treats for their pets and backyard birds.

Making homemade birdseed ornaments is a great project that is fun, kid-friendly, inexpensive, and it feeds birds such as cardinals, finches and grosbeaks.

First, build a snowman with two or three balls of snow. Then, use birdseed and other bird foods to create the snowman's details. Use corncobs or suet logs to create a smile. Give your snowman hair by dangling millet from its head.

Boil water and carefully stir flour and gelatin in until dissolved. Add bird seed and stir until all combined and all seed is coated. Scoop bird seed/gelatin mix into the moulds and press one piece of straw into each mould (to make the hole). Press the seed mix firmly into the moulds and around the straw.

How do you make bird feeder mix? ›

Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved. Do not add red dye. Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside. Extra sugar water can be stored in a refrigerator.

Making your Christmas bird wreath:

Squish lard into a soft paste in a bowl. Mix in bird seed, breadcrumbs or grated cheese. Smear over pine cones and decorate with dried fruits and nuts.

Suet is rendered beef fat and is the ingredient that holds all suet cakes together. You can find it at the meat counter of your local grocery store. (If you can't find it, lard is a good substitute.)

Suet is particularly attractive to woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, jays, and starlings. Wrens, creepers, kinglets, and even cardinals and some warblers occasionally visit suet feeders. Animal fat is easily digested and metabolized by many birds; it's a high-energy food, especially valuable in cold weather.

Pure fats are recommended; Lard/suet, nuts, cereals, and sunflower seeds are common ingredients in fat balls. As a result, they are tightly packed with the energy and fats that birds require. They are ideal for the winter season. During the summer fat balls should be kept out of direct sunlight.

Empty plastic soda bottles or gallon milk jug containers also make good DIY winter bird feeders. Tie some twine or string around the bottle, add perches—tree twigs, pencils, dowels, chopsticks, or wooden spoons—and insert birdseed into the receptacle and you're good to go.