Turn Empty Soup Cans Into An Adorable Feeder Birds Will Love

Watching birds visit is one of the prime benefits to having a bird feeder, but does it look a little plain when the birds aren't there? While store-bought feeders work fine, making your own offers the chance to express your personality and add some whimsy to your garden. You can repurpose kitchen items to make bird feeders, and one simple option starts with a soup can! Make them one at a time whenever you have soup, or save up your empty cans to make several at once by yourself or with friends.

Any type of soup can will work for this, as long as it's empty. You can even try using an empty box from boxed broth if you prefer that over canned soup, although the packaging may not be as durable as a can when exposed to the elements. When finished, your soup can will form the body of the bird feeder and hold the seeds. There's a number of ways you can put the feeder up, depending on how much time and effort you want to put into it. Hanging the can on its side with a string is the simplest option, but soup cans are also relatively easy to mount on a wall, fence, or wooden board.

In addition to your soup cans, you'll need some supplies to decorate it with. Primer and paint designed for outdoor use are a great start, as they're made to hold up under wind and rain. However, you can also get creative with ribbons, paper, fabric, leftover wallpaper or stickers, or any other type of fun and colorful art supplies you have on hand. Depending on the supplies you're using, you may also need an adhesive like hot glue or super glue. You should also grab an outdoor sealant to protect your finished feeder.

Before you can start crafting, you have to prepare the soup can properly. If it has a paper label, you'll want to remove it so that you can decorate the surface of the can itself. Wash your can thoroughly and remove any lingering noodles or veggie chunks. Even if the soup was safe for birds, you won't want to risk the leftover pieces becoming moldy, as that can make birds sick. Make sure you're cleaning your bird feeder often enough for the same reason. If your soup can's lid is still attached, fold it in half so it blocks half of the interior, preventing seeds from spilling out. You can also repeat the process on the other side, remove both ends entirely, or leave the bottom intact. Opening the ends makes hanging it easier, since you won't need to add holes for the string. Carefully check for and smooth out any sharp edges, then start decorating.

A simple layer of bright paint will spruce it up, but you can also get creative with patterning. If you're feeling whimsical, you could decorate the exterior to look like a diner or give your can a new faux soup label with a bird-inspired name. If you want a complex pattern but aren't able to paint it, consider using patterned paper or wallpaper. Whatever you decide, be sure to seal it properly and let it dry. Once you're done, add wire or string to hang it up or hot glue it to a board or post for mounting and add your bird seed. As an optional, but helpful, addition, you can add a perch by gluing a piece of wood to the folded lid or to the bottom of the can if you removed the lid.