Feeders lovingly made by hand can be a real lifesaver for wintering birds. We'll tell you how to quickly and easily make a bird canteen out of materials you have on hand.
The main requirement a feeder must meet is safety. Therefore all sharp parts of the structure need to be covered or rounded off. In addition, it is desirable that the wind not blow the grain away, but that the bird can see it from a distance.
A plastic bottle
An item that is sure to be found in every home is perfect as a blank for a future feeder. It's not difficult:
- thoroughly wash and dry the future feeder;
- cut openings in the lower part of the bottle through which the birds will peck the food;
- insert a wooden stick into the openings and secure it with glue or with a soldering iron.
Now all that's left is to fill the feeder with grains and hang it on a tree in the nearest park or near your home.
But you can make it even simpler – cut window-openings in the sides of the bottle and secure it to a branch by the neck.
Important! Bread is not suitable as feed – birds cannot digest it and it only harms their health.
A juice or dairy carton
The advantage of this material is that the cardboard in Tetra Paks is dense and laminated, and it will last until the end of winter. Making a bird cafeteria out of such cartons couldn't be easier. You just need to cut out windows of a suitable size and fill the bottom with treats.
To keep the carton from losing its shape, you can reinforce it by making a grid out of lollipop sticks: just pierce the walls with an awl and insert the sticks. Wooden skewers will also work as an option.
A paper cup
The simplest option. It is already practically a ready-made feeder; you just need to make holes for twine or wire to hang the structure. A significant drawback is the item's short lifespan. But this can be partly remedied by wrapping the surface of the cup with tape. It's better to hang the cup under a roof so that snow doesn't fall into it and rain doesn't pour in.
An orange
If you want the feeder to be made of eco-friendly materials, make it out of an orange. It will be visible from a distance and attracts attention with its brightness. You need to cut off the top of the citrus and carefully remove its pulp, trying not to damage the integrity of the peel. By inserting twigs into the bottom part of the rind, we get wonderful perches. Strong twine works perfectly as a fastening.
It is best to treat the birds with grains (oats, millet, wheat), sunflower seeds and nuts – goldfinches, sparrows and other grain-eating birds adore them. If you put out pieces of unsalted lard, then tits and nuthatches will hurry to such a feast. Dried rowan and rosehip berries will attract bullfinches and waxwings to your feeder.
In winter birds need calcium, so crushed eggshell will come in very handy. It is strictly forbidden to treat birds with white and rye bread, as well as with salty, fried and sour foods.
