Turn Kitchen Trash Into Garden Treasure With A Bird Feeder You Can Easily DIY

In winter and even in early spring, songbirds in the yard can get hungry. This spring, why not feed them with a cheap and simple project you can easily DIY? You can turn an old gallon milk jug into a bird feeder in just a few easy steps.

Birds count on the extra calories in winter for sure, but they also may need help in the spring, too. While grubs and other insects start to hatch as the weather warms, birds may still need our help to eat for a few reasons. It's especially true of migrating birds, who may start to fly north and need the extra calories. Mating birds need a little help to fill in any energy gaps, or there could be a late spring snowstorm in some areas that makes it hard for birds to find food. If you want to help the birds that can benefit your yard or garden with their friendly visits this spring, set out a feeder.

It's easy enough to DIY your own, and a milk jug is just one more way you can reuse old items to help feed birds. (Remember the trend of using a chipped coffee mug in the garden as a fun suet bird feeder?) For this project, all you need is an empty milk jug and a bottle cap, scissors, string, a chopstick or small wooden skewer, and your favorite birdseed.

To get started on this project, you'll want to clean the jug. Make sure that there's no milk residue inside and that it's fully washed and rinsed. Draw the outline of the bird "door" before you cut it out. If you want to discourage larger birds, like grackles or blackbirds, then you'll want to make the hole smaller than two inches. If you'd rather share the seeds with every bird in the neighborhood, and you want something that's easier to refill, then cut out a hole several inches tall and wide. You can do this on at least two sides of the jug if you want to create easier entry and exit for the birds!

Next, grab your chopstick and use it to puncture a hole below your bird door. If it won't penetrate the plastic, use your scissors to poke through. Pushing the chopstick in will act as a small bird perch. Then, punch another hole through the top of the cap and thread the hanging cord through it. Screw the cap back on the container. This will help keep bird seed dry and sheltered from the elements so you don't risk growing mold.

Once your bird feeder is ready, fill it with food birds will love, like black oil sunflower seeds. Finches especially are big fans. Sunflower seeds also happen to be the best type of bird seed for attracting more cardinals to your yard.