Tools and Materials
Tools
Materials
- Cedar Board
- Clear Polycarbonate Sheets
- #17 × 1-1/4-in Stainless Steel Brad Nails
- #14 × 1-in Stainless Steel Panhead Screws
- #8 × 1/2-in Stainless Steel Panhead Screws
- 1/2-in Galvanized Pipe Flange
- 1/2-in x 6-ft Galvanized Pipe
- Wood Adhesive
- Silicone Adhesive
- #12 × 1-1/2-in Flathead Wood Screws
- #8 × 3-in Flathead Wood Screws
- Cleaning Cloths
- Exterior Black Spray Paint & Primer in One
- Exterior Acrylic Stain & Sealer in One
Denatured Alcohol
The Best Type of Wood for Bird Feeders
Cedar is the perfect choice of wood for a bird feeder. In addition to giving the feeder a rich, attractive appearance, it’s naturally insect-resistant. Cedar resists rot and warping, so it’ll do a good job handling the elements even if you choose not to add stain or paint.
Building the Bird Feeder
You’ll build this project in two phases. Start by cutting all the parts to length using the bird feeder plan and preparing for assembly. It’s best for an adult familiar with woodworking tools to do this part of the project. Make this a family project and get older children involved in the assembly.
Prepare the Parts
Assembling the Bird Feeder
How to Attract Birds to a Bird Feeder
This project gives you steps for building a hopper feeder, also known as a house feeder. There are several factors that make a hopper feeder a good choice, especially if you’re new to feeding birds in your backyard. These feeders are easy to fill and make it easy for birds to eat. Hopper feeders draw in most types of birds including blue jays, chickadees, cardinals, finches, sparrows, buntings and more. Follow the tips below to attract birds to your bird feeder.
- Set up a birdbath and bird house in your yard. Birdbaths with running or moving water are particularly attractive to birds.
- Fill the bird feeder with different types of food. Sunflower seeds and Nyjer seeds are the most popular options. Other food that birds enjoy include mealworms and fruit-and-nut mixes.
- Scatter some seeds around the bird feeder to draw the birds to the feeder.
- It can take a couple of weeks for birds to begin visiting a new feeder particularly if your yard hasn’t had one before, so be patient.
Choose the right type of feeder based on where you want to put the bird feeder and the types of birds in your area. Some other common types of feeders include tray or platform feeders, tube feeders, Nyjer seed feeders, suet feeders and hummingbird feeders. For more bird feeder ideas read our guide to learn more about the types of birds that different feeders and foods attract.
How to Set Up a Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
Make sure you plan a good location for your feeder. Find a place where the feeder will be visible to the birds. Good visibility will help the birds find the new feeder more quickly.
- Cats or hawks present dangers to birds at a feeder. Consider placing your feeder 10 feet or so from trees or shrubs. The distance will give the birds a relatively quick path to hide in the foliage but makes it more difficult for an unseen predator to pounce or swoop down from hiding. This also helps keep squirrels away as it makes it more difficult for squirrels to jump onto the feeder.
- Attach a barrier, such as a squirrel guard or baffle, to the bird pole feeder to make it difficult for a squirrel to climb the pole and reach the feeder.
- Try using food that’s unattractive to squirrels. Squirrels will eat many types of fruits, nuts and seeds but they’re not as fond of safflower seed, white proso millet and nyjer seed. Using food that squirrels don’t like will encourage them to seek food elsewhere. Keep in mind that these types of seed may also affect what kinds of birds visit your feeder, so you might want to experiment.
- Mix cayenne pepper with the food to deter squirrels and other mammals without affecting the birds. You can also find wild bird seed that includes hot pepper. Be sure to wear gloves when handling the pepper or food treated with pepper.
- If you’re building several feeders, plan on spacing them out by at least 10 feet. Large numbers of birds clustered around feeders discourage some species from visiting. A lot of birds regularly gathering in one place also makes it easier for diseases to spread among the birds.
Bird Feeder Cleaning Tips
Check the condition of the food regularly. It can get wet, clump together and stick to the feeder. If left too long, mold and fungal growth can become a health hazard for the birds.
When you add food to the feeder, fill it 1/4 full so you don’t waste any. You can adjust the amount as you see how quickly the birds eat the seed.
Regularly clean your feeder, pole and squirrel guard to remove droppings and reduce the risk of disease spreading among the birds.
DIY Bird Feeder FAQs
1. What is the Easiest Homemade Bird Feeder?
There are many DIY bird feeder ideas that use items you can find at home like mason jars, wine bottles, plastic bottles, planters and more to build temporary bird feeders.
2. How Do You Make a Toilet Roll Bird Feeder?
It’s a fun and easy weekend activity you can enjoy with your kids. Apply nut or seed butter onto the toilet paper roll and roll it in a plate full of bird food or seeds. Hang it up on a tree or anywhere in your balcony.
3. What Can You Use as a Bird Feeding Station?
You can build a bird feeding station based on the place you choose to place it and the type of bird food. Platform feeders, hopper feeders, tube feeders, Nyjer feeders and nectar feeders are the most common types of feeders.
4. How Long Will it Take for Birds to Find a New Feeder?
If you’ve set up your feeder in a location that birds can easily see and is safe from predators, they may begin visiting in as little as a few hours, but don’t be discouraged if it takes longer. In general, it can take a couple of weeks for birds to begin visiting a new feeder, particularly if you haven’t set up feeders before.