22 Bird Feeders for Your Garden

Benefits of Bird Feeders in the Garden

Bird feeders provide many benefits to both birds and humans alike. If you are an avid birdwatcher, you already know how great birds are. Below are just some of the benefits of having wild bird feeders in your garden.

Benefits of bird feeders:

• Will attract birds to your yard
• Various bird feeders will attract different species
• Provides birds with food
• Birdwatching can improve your mood
• Birdwatching can lower stress
• Birds are educational
• Can help deter birds from feeding on your tree fruits

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Bird Feeders

When choosing a new bird feeder, there are a few things you will want to consider:

What Species are You Trying to Attract

Bird feeders are often designed to hold a certain type of food. If you are trying to attract a certain species, know what type of food they prefer.  

Easy to Clean

Bird feeders need to be cleaned often. Being outside, they will get extremely dirty. Not only do they get dirty, but they can spread diseases. If you see a diseased or sick bird at your feeder, take it down immediately and clean it.

Type of Feeder

Birds are attracted to different types of feeders. Some would rather eat from a feeder that is stationary, while others are ok with feeders that swing. There are even birds that will only eat from ground feeders.

Size

If you have limited space, you will probably want a small feeder. These feeders will only hold a modest amount of food. And there will only be enough room for one or two birds to feed at once.

If you have a large garden and want to attract a lot of birds, bigger feeders will hold more food and provide larger perching areas.

Material

Metal bird feeders for gardens can get hot in the sun. If you purchase a metal feeder, make sure that you display it in a shady area.

Weather

If you get a lot of rain, you will want a bird feeder with drainage. Leaving food in water can cause it to go bad and mould. 

1. Easy DIY Bird Feeder

You can make this DIY bird feeder without any tools. All you need is some glue, paint, and materials from the craft store. The hanging bird feeder will add a touch of colour to your garden, and the tiny houses can give small birds a place to hide.

2. DIY Bird Feeder from a Flower Pot

I think we all have terra cotta pots sitting around that we can use to make homemade bird feeders. If you do not, you can pick them up at a reasonable price at your local garden store.

The feeder has a lid that will protect your seed from the rain. Birds can pick the seeds from the holes drilled in the pot.

3. Josanlo Ground and Hanging Bird Feeder Tray

Rainy weather will not damage your birdseed when you use this hanging bird feeder. The feeder has a large 27 cm x 27 cm mesh tray that water will flow through. The feeder can also be used as a ground feeder for those birds that will not eat from traditional feeders.

4. PaWz Bird Bath and Feeding Food Station 

The PaWz bird feeding station is a great choice for patio areas. The top can be used as a bird bath and the bottom tray as a feeder. The station even has a solar powered light.

The bird feeding station is made from plastic, so it is lightweight. You will need to anchor it to the ground with stakes, so it does not tip over.

5. DIY Holiday Wreath Bird Feeder

Make your birds a handmade gift this coming holiday season. Not only will they love feeding on this seed wreath, but it will also add to your decor. Seed wreaths would also make amazing gifts for your bird watching friends.

6. Cookie Cutter Bird Seed Feeders

Here is another homemade bird feeder you can make in your kitchen. Instead of using a large bundt pan, this one makes small hanging feeders with cookie cutters. You can use holiday cookie cutters for Christmas or any shape you prefer.

7. Pure Copper Hanging Bird Bath Bird Feeder

Birds will love coming to visit your yard when you provide them with food in this pure copper hand hammered hanging bird bath. The stylish hanging bird bath can also be used as a feeder. It is lightweight and durable.

You can hang it from a tree, a shepherd’s hook, or the roof of your porch. If you have room, purchase one for seed and a second one for a bird bath.

8. Teacup Bird Feeder

How cute is this teacup and saucer outdoor bird feeder? If you have an old cut and saucer lying around, you can make this feeder. And the best part is, there is no drilling involved. Instead, this feeder is held together with E6000 craft adhesive.

9. Soda Bottle Bird Feeder

You can recycle your old plastic soda bottles into bird feeders. The project is very easy. You can construct, fill, and hang this simple bird feeder in less than an hour.

10. Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Pine cones are naturally full of seeds, so birds love them. If you have access to dropped pine cones, you can use them to make hanging bird feeders. It is a quick and easy project that requires twine, peanut butter, and bird seed.

11. DIY Wine Bottle Bird Feeder

Make a birdfeeder out of an old wine bottle and wine glass. This is a great homemade bird feeder for a wine connoisseur or a winery. The unique design will slowly fill the glass with seeds as the birds eat it.

12. Tea Cup Candle Sconce Bird Feeder

Make a deck bird feeder with a tea cup, saucer, and candle sconce. This is a very simple project anyone can do. You do not need any power tools. Instead, the bird feeder is held together with E6000 craft adhesive.

Once the glue is dry, hang the feeder on a wall or a wood post.

13. DIY Bird Suet Feeders

Woodpeckers love suet. One way to attract them to your yard is by smearing suet on the side of a tree. However, that can get messy! Instead of smearing it on your tree, make a suet bird feeder using a small log.

Add a hanger and drill some holes into the sides. Then fill the holes with suet.

14. Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder

Are you looking for a kid-friendly DIY bird feeder project? They will have a lot of fun making this popsicle stick bird feeder. This tutorial uses a regular craft glue stick.

If you want the outdoor bird feeder to last for a while, I would recommend using E6000 craft adhesive. Just supervise the kids if they are using it.

15. Simple Macrame Orange Bird Feeder

Do you have some string or macrame cord lying around? Use it to make this DIY macrame bird feeder. Follow along with this simple tutorial to see how to make a basket to hang orange halves.

Once the birds eat the orange pulp, fill the shell with seed.

16. Steel Multi-Feeder Kit Stand for Attracting Wild Birds

Attract a multitude of birds with this bird feeding station. It has 4 hooks, a water bowl/bird bath, and a food tray. You also get a tube feeder and a suet feeder.

The bird feeder stand is sturdy and durable. The 4 prong base will help to ensure it will not tip over.

17. DIY Bird Feeders

Here is a simple way to make a DIY hanging bird feeder. It is so easy; it almost feels like cheating. Just go buy a baby chick feeder base and a mason jar. This creates your feeder. There are several different ways you can hang it.

18. Easy Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder

We are all guilty of throwing old toilet paper rolls away. Instead of wasting the rolls, use them to make hanging bird feeders. To make the feeders all you need are some toilet paper rolls, peanut butter, craft sticks, bird seed, and twine.

19. Bowl and Plate DIY Bird Feeder

Ceramic tea cups and plates are often used for making homemade bird feeders. However, you can use melamine too. They are lighter than ceramic, and they usually will not break if they get knocked to the ground.

Melamine also comes in a wider variety of colours and styles.

20. Acorn Bird Feeder

Wire mesh bird feeders are ideal for unhulled sunflower seeds. The mesh holds the seeds in place while giving hanging birds a place to hang. To make the DIY bird feeder you will need 1/4? metal mesh, a round wood bowl, sisal rope, two small nails, metal snips, and needle nose pliers.

21. DIY Tin Can Flower Bird Feeder

Use old food cans or coffee cans to make a quick and easy bird feeder. This is a great way to recycle your cans and keep them out of the landfill. Make several of these bird feeders and paint them in different colours to add a bit of whimsy to your garden.

22. Outdoor Wild Bird Feeder

Suet can attract a wide variety of birds. It is a high energy food that birds love. To serve suet to your bird visitors, you need a special bird feeder. This suet bird feeder has a unique design. It has a roof to protect the suet from rain, and a perch for perching birds.