Materials

pencil or Wooden dowel

Nail

plastic bottle larger than your feet or tiretread

good scissors or box knife

string or cord

Bird food

     Here are two types of bird feeders. The first one a child can make. Try this one out and watch to see if you have much seed waisting and falling to the ground. If so, the second feeder takes a little more skill but you can fill it and the seed will refill automatically until it's gone.

Using a nail and hammer, poke a hole through the neck of the bottle just under the rim. The hole needs to go completely through both sides of the bottle's neck. You also need to make two other holes toward the bottom of the bottle (one on each side); this is where the perch will be placed, so make sure that the holes are symmetrical on each side. Slide the wooden dowel through the holes you placed toward the bottom of your bottle. Make sure that the dowel is securely in place and does not slide out easily.

Cut a U-shaped hole with a craft knife above the perch on each side of the bottle. These holes will grant birds access to the bird food that will be inside of the feeder.

Thread about six inches of strong twine, cord or string through the top holes of the bottle. Tie a knot tightly and ensure that the cord is strong enough to hold together; it must bear the weight of the bottle after the bird feed has been added. To do this, simply pull each side of the string with a strong force and make sure that it does not snap or untie.

Bird Feeder 2

Materials

A 1/2 liter plastic pop bottle

A large round plastic mayonnaise jar, we used a Miracle Whip jar.

3/4" thick piece of wood approximately 12"X 12"

Screws

string or cord

Bird food

This is a stationary mounted feeder so you need to attach it to either a post or something to raise it off the ground to keep out ants and other animals who may take the seeds. Cut four 1" diameter holes evenly spaced around the jar, 1 1/2" up from the bottom of the mayo jar. This should be to the bottom of the hole. We used Forstner bits for this. Remove the lid from the pop bottle and place it in the mayo jar top down. Mark around the pop bottle flush with the top of the mayo jar. Cut the bottom off the pop bottle just slightly, approximately 1/16", longer than your mark. Put the pop bottle in the mayo jar and put the mayo jar lid on. Using a felt tipped marker mark the center for four holes on the pop bottle just about 1/4" above the center of the mayo jar holes. Remove the pop bottle and cut or drill four 1/2" diameter holes around the pop bottle. Using two screws, screw the mayo jar to the piece of wood from inside the mayo jar. Center the pop bottle in the bottom of the mayo jar with the hole off center of the holes in the mayo jar.

Fill the pop bottle with bird seed. The seed should run out to and seek a level about even with the large holes. Put the mayo lid on and set it out for the birdies for feast. We colored wide black circles around the holes to make it easier for you to see but don't actually do that on the jar as it scares the birds. The nice thing about this feeder is that you don't have to fill it as often. Now get out there and enjoy all the birds.

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