11 Easy DIY Bird Feeders You Can Make From Repurposed Kitchen Items

If you're eager to see more birds in your yard, offering them an easy source of food is a great way to start. There are other methods too, such as building a DIY birdbath or providing them with safe nesting spots, but if you don't have a lot of space or a large budget to devote to your local birds, then a simple DIY feeder is the best option. You can repurpose plenty of kitchen items, from old jars to leftover plastic bottles, to make a bird feeder that will satisfy the birds without breaking the bank.

Knowing what not to use is equally important, though. It may seem thrifty to reuse everything in your kitchen, but some items may do more harm than good. Never use anything that is moldy or mildew-y, since you don't want birds eating moldy seeds and getting sick. Any metal or plastic with rust or peeling paint should be avoided as well, as some paints and metals are toxic to birds, and they may get sick if they ingest too much of it. You may be able to salvage them with a thorough cleaning and a coat of eco-friendly non-toxic paint.

Items with sharp edges will also need to be avoided or altered to prevent birds getting scratched. If the sharp areas are large or jagged, then you're likely better off recycling the item and using something else for your feeder. For smaller sharp edges, such as the edge of a can's lid, you may be able to sand it down or cover it with something. Additionally, consider the weather resistance of the item. Materials like cardboard will break down, so they'll need to be replaced eventually.

Plastic bottle bird feeders are a classic choice, and the best part is you can use just about any plastic bottle leftover from your kitchen. Reuse an empty olive oil container or repurpose a ketchup bottle into a simple bird feeder. You should rinse or wash the empty bottle first if there's any residue in it, then you can cut holes in the side to insert a perch and so the birds can reach the seeds. When the bottle starts to break down, just rinse it and put it in the recycle bin!

If you have leftover cans from canned veggies or pet food, there are a few different ways to create DIY bird feeders with them. Clean the cans, remove the labels, and sand any sharp edges. The simplest option is to add string around the exterior so they can hang sideways, but you can also secure them to a board with an overhang to keep the cans dry. Alternatively, cut in four places down the side of the can and curl the resulting flaps outward for a faux-flower that can be attached to a dowel or post. Finish by decorating then adding your seeds!

Whether they're from jam, pickles, or just decor, any clean jar with no cracks will make a great feeder. If you have any jars that have lost their lids and can't be used for storage then hanging them from a tree and filling them with birdseed is a great way to reuse them. However, you can also upcycle the jar lids into DIY bird feeders if you still have them, so no part of the jar is wasted.

Suet, made from combining a bird-safe fat such as beef tallow or peanut butter with bird seeds, can be made at home and served in the pan you use to make it! It's a great cold weather food, but there are a few pitfalls to avoid. If your pot or pan is particularly large or deep, the birds may not be able to eat the entire suet before it goes bad. Instead, either use a small pot or only fill it partially. Additionally, you should consider adding a metal grid over the front as a way of squirrel-proofing it.

Once your eggs have all been eaten, you can repurpose the carton for an easy DIY bird feeder. Simply cut the lid off, put seeds in the divots, and set it outside. However, if you're feeling a little crafty, you can add some twine or string and hang it from a tree for extra protection from squirrels. You can also include weather-resistant paint, stickers, or other decorations to make it look a little nicer. If the carton is cardboard, it won't last long, so keep an eye on it and remove it once it degrades.

Whisks may not seem like a good choice, since the seeds would just fall through the gaps, but they're actually great at holding suet balls. You can make them yourself or use store bought ones, bend the wires just enough to slide them in, then bend them back into place. Tie some twine around the whisk's handle to hang it in a tree and you're all set! If you want, you can add decorative elements to the handle. Ribbons or flowers are a nice touch, but using branches of ripe or dried berries will give the birds an extra snack.

Don't throw out the mesh bag that your onions or other produce comes in! Instead, fill it with seed balls or a suet block and hang it outside for the birds to enjoy. Since the strands of the bag can be quite thin, watch out for any rips or tears. Beaks and talons can be sharp, after all! Remove or replace the bag when it starts to degrade. Some mesh bags are made of plastic and aren't biodegradable, so it's important not to leave them in your yard after the feeder has run its course.

If you have any plastic bowls that are past their prime, you can turn them into bird feeders in a few different ways. Adding holes to the rim and hanging it is a quick and easy solution, but you could also secure it to the top of a post. If you don't have posts or trees, you can create a simpler version by attaching the bowl to a dowel rod or stake. To prevent water from flooding it during rain storms, place your DIY bowl bird feeder in a sheltered spot or drill drainage holes into the bottom.

Your old ice cube trays and molds can be filled with seeds and hung outside, but you can also use them to make suet blocks. Fill them with your suet and add some string for hanging them, or leave the string out if you'll be using them in another feeder. If you have fun-shaped molds, this could be a cute way to make your suet look a little nicer. You can also combine the methods by using them to make suet, then filling them with your leftover seeds to give birds.

Similarly to the molds, cookie cutters can help you dress up suet blocks. Since cookie cutters don't have a back to them, you'll need to set them on some wax paper or other non-stick surface. If your mix is too watery, it may leak out underneath the cookie cutter. Letting it cool a bit first or adding a thicker ingredient like peanut butter may help. You can insert a string to the mix to make hanging it easier once it's solidified. Either pop the block out and reuse your cookie cutter again or keep the cookie cutter on like a frame for the feeder.

If you want a repurposed bird feeder that doesn't look repurposed, use your cutting board as the bottom of a traditional-looking platform feeder. There are many types of cutting boards, but something like wood, bamboo, or plastic will be easiest to work with. Attach smaller wood pieces to the sides to form an open box to hold the seed. Then you can drill holes to hang it or nail it into a post just like a regular bird feeder! If you're using a plastic board, you should know how to glue plastic to wood to attach the sides.