Attract birds to your garden by making them a fantastic feast! A great way to use up leftover scraps and help the birds during the colder months.
What you need:
- Pipe cleaner or garden wire
- Cheerios
- Raisins or chopped-up fruit bars
- Apple
- Cheese/dairy-free cheese
What to do:
Step 1: Put a knot into one end of your pipe cleaner/wire, approx 5cm from theend.
Step 2: Thread through some of your Cheerios, pushing them all the way to theknot.
Step 3: Thread through your raisins. If using chopped-up fruit bars, ask an adult to help you make a small hole in the centre with a pointed knife.
Step 4: Chop your cheese into cubes. With the help of an adult, make a hole inthe centre with a pointed knife. Thread the cubes on.
Step 5: Now chop up your apple into chunks. Use a knife to make a central hole again. Thread a chunk on to your wire.
Step 6: Keep threading on a mixture of fruit, cheese and cereal. Leave about 5cm of wire clear at the end.
Step 7: Twist the two ends together to form a circle. No glue needed!
Step 8: Hang your feeder in a tree or bush, then sit back and watch the birds dine!
Enjoyed making this? Why not have a go at making our pine cone bird feeders? See our step-by-step guide here.
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FAQs
Fruit and Cheerios Bird Feeder:
How do you make a cereal bird feeder? ›
Easy Step-by-Step Directions:
- String cereal onto the wire until there is about ½-in. left on both ends.
- Twist the ends of the wire together to make a loop. Feel free to shape it into something different if you want!
- Repeat steps 1 through 2 until you have as many shapes and bird feeders as you want.
Plastic bottle bird feeder
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 fruit is good for bird feeders? ›
Cutting oranges in half and placing them on a platform feeder or impaled on a special orange feeder will draw orioles, and often other birds as well. Fresh grapes, bananas, cherries, and berries may all be taken by orioles, robins, Cape May Warblers, and other birds with a sweet beak.
How do you make homemade bird feeder mix? ›
Ingredients for soft food mix for birds:
- Oats and dry breakfast cereals as the base.
- Unsulphured sultanas.
- Fresh fruit.
- Fresh or dried berries.
- Dried mealworms.
- Small seeds.
“I prefer Cheerios and other unsweetened natural grain cereals,” he says. “The zinc in food is at such tiny levels that you won't see toxicity from dietary zinc. If you share your cereal with your birds, be aware that they cannot digest the lactose (found in milk) and may develop some temporary diarrhea.”
Is peanut butter good for birds? ›
Peanut butter is a good high-protein food for birds, and they can eat any of the same types humans do. If you're buying it specifically for birds, look for natural or organic types with the fewest additives. Try offering crunchy peanut butter for an extra nutty treat.
What is an alternative to a bird feeder? ›
And some backyard birders want to provide food but find it inconvenient to fill and clean feeders. Fortunately, there's an easy solution—and it may even be better for birds. Natural foods such as shrubs, trees and other plants can be just as easy and convenient as feeders, and they provide additional benefits.
How do you make a bird feeder out of a cereal box? ›
If using a cereal box, cut the cardboard into several strips and form into loops, securing each with tape. Make sure the plain side of the box shows on the outside of each ring. Punch a single hole into the center of each ring.
How do you make a bird feeder with Cheerios? ›
Thread cheerios onto 3 pipe cleaners, leaving a bit of space at each end. Take 2 pipe cleaners and twist the ends together to form a circle. Take your 3rd pipe cleaner and lay it across the circle. Twist those ends around the gaps in the circle where your first two pipe cleaners were joined.
Fill the Mason jar with birdseed. Slide the roof up the rope high enough to screw on the jar. Lower the roof back down so the jar stop rests on top of the Mason jar. Adjust the knots until the feeder hangs straight.
How do you make a sugar water bird feeder? ›
It is nice and bright like a nectar flower to attract the birds. Simply mix up a sugar solution by dissolving 100g (approx. ½ cup) of white sugar in 1 litre of warm water. Once that has cooled down pour into the feeder and hang in a tree.
How do you dry fruit for birds? ›
Arrange fruit slices or whole small fruits in a single layer on nonstick baking sheets, making sure the pieces aren't touching. Put a sheet on each oven rack. Allow 1-1/2 in. on all sides of the tray so air can circulate while the fruit dries.
How do you make homemade bird feeder balls? ›
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. Refrigerate your fat balls until the lard has set.
