Collect your recycling containers and make bird feeders with old milk jugs, milk cartons and water bottles of all sizes.  It’s all very simple.  All you need is a pair of scissors, wire or twine, markers, sticks, and of course bird seed to create a fun and inviting bird feeder. Watch birds all year round.

Materials:

• Plastic containers: water bottles, milk jugs, peanut butter containers.
• Milk cartons.
• Wire or twine.
• Wooden spoons or sticks.
• Bird seed
• Optional: markers and paint for decorating, stickers, tissue paper, glue, ‘Modge Podge’

Bird feeder Instructions:

For water bottles:

1. With your scissors, carefully carve a hole on one side of the bottle and on the other side to match. The amount of adult assistance and supervision that is needed will depend on the age and development of the children.
2. Add your sticks or wooden spoons to each hole. Set the spoons in all the way so that the spoon end can catch some seed.
3. Now take the funnel and place it up top and pour in your bird seed.
4. Add a wire or twine at the top so you can attach it to a tree, or a place of your choosing. Replace the cap and hang.

For laundry detergent jugs

1. Clean your jug or jar with hot water and rinse thoroughly.
2. Drill or cut holes into the bottom of the jug.
3. Cut a large hole opposite of the handle. Leave 2-3 inches from the bottom when cutting the hole.
4. Drill a hole and place a stick under the opening for the birds to perch on.
5. Wrap wire or string around the handle and hang your feeder from a tree branch and fill with birdseed.

For milk cartons:

1. Clean carton with hot water and rinse thoroughly.
2. Drill or cut holes into the bottom of the jug.
3. Outline and cut a rectangle on one side of the carton.  Leave 2-3 inches from the bottom when cutting the hole.
4. Drill a hole and place a stick under the opening for the birds to perch on.
5. At the top of the milk carton poke two holes on either side. String wire or twine through the top.
6. Hang your feeder from a tree branch and fill with birdseed.

Optional ideas for decorating all bird feeders:

• Add stickers to the bird feeder
• Colour with markers or paint (use acrylic hobby paint)
• Decorating with ‘Modge Podge’
• Cut all tissue paper and photos from magazines
• Glue on tissue paper and/or magazines
• Cover with ‘Exterior Modge Podge’

Helpful Hints:

• These bird feeders won’t last long, but they are so easy to make, you can always replace it easily when it wears out!
• Scattering some seeds on the ground can help the birds find the feeder. Watch the birds. Be patient. Try different types of seeds and different locations. Record your observations. We found that placing bird feeders near hedges was an excellent location and were filling each bird feeder every 2 to 3 days