Plenty of birdfeeders are available in the market today. However, the cheapest and most customizable birdfeeders around are the ones that you make yourself. Creating your own birdfeeder from plastic bottles is easy. All you will need is a 2 liter soda bottle, some branches, a utility knife, cork, drill, a screw and hook, and a small length of rope.
- Prepare the bottle. The first step is to clean the soda bottle that you will use to create the bird feeder. Use soap and water to remove the sugary residues that are left on soda bottles. Otherwise, the bottle can attract ants which can bite the small birds that land on the feeder. Let the bottle dry in the open air afterwards.
- Add the entrance. The next step is to add several holes on the body of the bird feeder .this can be done using a utility knife. Make sure that the holes you create are enough to allow a bird to comfortably land inside the birdfeeder. It is best if you have an idea on the normal size of the birds that are found in your area. Some birds are larger than others and will require larger holes.
- Drill in holes. Once the entrance has been prepared, the next step is for you to use a hand drill to create small holes. The holes should be placed on opposite sides since these will act as the holders for the perch sticks where the birds will land. Make sure that the holes at the same level as the bird entrance. Small birds such as finches can fit into the birdfeeder three at a time. This means that you need to make three hole entrances in the birdfeeder with six drill holes that will hold three perch sticks.
- Add perch sticks. Once the drill holes have been made, the next step is for you to insert the branch into the holes. Use white glue to keep the branches in place. Some people will use barbeque sticks as the perch for the birds. However, natural branches have bark which makes it easier for the birds to land. Very smooth sticks such as barbeque sticks are very difficult for small birds to hang on to.
- Add seeds. Pour in some bird seed into the bottom of the bottle. This will attract the birds and keep them coming back for more. Bird seed can be found in most pet shops. Apart from this, however, you can also make your own bird seed combination by mixing in raw corn kernels, bits of rice, barley, oats, and other grains. You can add a bit of water into the mixture especially if you do not have softer oats. Keep a separate container filled with spare seeds so that you will be able to refill the birdfeeder easily once the birds have eaten up the last bits of seed.
- Hang. Insert a piece of cork into the mouth of the bottle. Use a utility knife to pare down the cork if it is too big to fit. Once this is done, drive a screw into the cork. Attach a hook at the end of the screw and use this to hang the bird feeder on a tree.
With a birdfeeder, you can attract a wide variety of local birds into your own backyard. If you are a fan of bird song or simply appreciate the beauty that these small creatures possess, the bird feeder is an easy DIY project for you.