The finished item may be hung from a sturdy tree branch or fence post to attract a variety of birds and also provide an opportunity for kids to identify different bird species.
The feeder may be filled with dry kitchen leftovers such as breadcrumbs and nuts or bags of feed may be purchased in any pet store.
Things You'll Need
- Old newspaper
- 1 Empty plastic soda bottle (2 liter) washed and dried
- 2 Small branch cuttings from a tree, approximately 1/4 inch by 8 inches
- 1 12-inch-length of florists' wire
- 1 Bag of bird feed
- 1 Craft knife
Instructions
Spread the newspaper over the work surface to protect from mess and scratches.
Remove the plastic screw top from the soda bottle. Using the craft knife, make a 1/8-inch incision 2 inches from the bottom of the soda bottle, large enough to pass the florists' wire through the hole.
Turning the bottle, make an incision in the opposite side the same distance from the bottle of the soda bottle.
Thread the florists' wire through the incisions. There will be enough excess wire to twist together at the top, making a looped "handle."
Halfway up the bottle, make a third incision using the craft knife. This time make the hole roughly round, measuring 1/4 inch in diameter.
Make another hole the same size in the bottle on the opposite side.
Make two further holes in the bottle, again round in shape, approximately 1 inch above the third and fourth holes. These are "feeding holes" for the birds to peck at the seed.
Make another set of holes three-fourths of the way up the soda bottle, this time directly between the first set of holes and again make two "feeding holes."
Thread a branch cutting though the lower set of holes, creating a "perch" where the birds can rest and peck feed comfortably from the feeding holes above.
Thread the second branch cutting through the lower holes three-fourths of the way up the bottle, making a "criss-cross" of the two branch cuttings. The branches should fit snugly and not wobble. Should they be slightly too small for the hole, wedge a small piece of bark or "off cut" to secure the fit.
Pour feed into the bottle. A small amount of feed will spill out of the feeding holes onto the newspaper but this can be collected and poured back into the bottle.
Replace the plastic screw cap of the soda bottle and turn the bottle upside down. The wire handle may be used to hang the bottle feeder. A small amount of feed should seep from the feeding holes and enable the birds to reach the food comfortably from the perches.