Are you looking for a low-cost family activity for the holidays? Look no further than building a bird feeder! There are a variety of fun and easy ways to create a bird feeder from inexpensive and readily available materials. Through this engaging activity, your family can gain a newfound appreciation for the outdoors and its feathered friends. Plus, anyone can do it – adults, kids, and even grandparents. Here’s how to get started.
1. Materials Needed to Build a Bird Feeder
As we head into the summer season, now is the perfect time to get out and enjoy nature with your family while constructing a bird feeder! To make it easy for you, here’s a list of all the materials you will need:
- Small Saw – Trim the edges of wood used to create the bird feeder frame.
- Drill & Bits – Make necessary holes to join wooden pieces.
- Small Wood Pieces – These will be used to form the bird feeder frame.
- Galvanized Screws – Secure the frame.
- Nails – Attach the wire mesh and hold the bird seed.
- Wire Mesh – Form the bowl shape for the bird feeder.
- Bird Seed – Place the seed inside the feeder and watch the birds come in!
- Shrub & Vines – Entice birds by making the environment natural.
Of course, you might also need a bit of glue and paint to make the bird feeder look attractive. Make sure to have all these items on hand before you begin constructing your bird feeder! Plus, kids will love helping out with a fun and rewarding project like this. Have fun!
2. Preparing your Bird Feeder
Once you have acquired the materials needed to build the bird feeder, the next step is to prepare them for assembly. It’s important to do this step properly to ensure your bird feeder lasts a longer period of time. Follow these instructions to prepare your bird feeder:
- Organize the materials – It is important to have all the pieces in order, and make sure nothing is missing.
- Clean the materials – Wipe off any dirt with a damp cloth before assembling.
- Sand the edges – To make sure the edges are smooth, sand them before assembly.
- Paint the wood – You may want to give the wood a coat of paint. This will help it last longer out in the elements.
When all the materials are prepped and ready to go, you can move on to assembling the bird feeder. This will come together like a puzzle! With the guidance of an adult, the whole family can help assemble the pieces and create something extraordinary.
3. Assembling your Bird Feeder
- Collect the pieces and components of the bird feeder.
- Lay out the pieces of the bird feeder in the work area.
- Take a look at the instruction sheet to determine the assembly sequence.
- Start putting together the pieces one-by-one. This might require screws, nails, clamps and other tools.
- Make sure the parts fit tightly when securing the pieces together.
- Make sure the perches andfeed port are in the right place.
- Check for rough edges that might need to be sanded down.
- Add decorations such as paint, labels or stickers to the bird feeder.
- Attach any additional accessories such as a squirrel baffle or a hanging chain.
- Fill the feeder with birdseed and hang.
Finally, the bird feeder is ready to attract local birds. Enjoy watching them!
4. Mounting your Bird Feeder
Now, for one of the most exciting steps of this family activity – ! Your newly created bird feeder can either be hung or placed directly on the ground. If you decide to hang your bird feeder, make sure to use strong rope or metal wire and tie the rope very securely around your feeder. If you decide to place your feeder directly on the ground, pick an area that is the following:
- Away from predators of birds such as cats (or domestic cats should be kept indoors to protect the birds).
- Sheltered from extreme weather such as rain, hail, or strong winds.
- Not in the path of everyday activities in your backyard (to avoid birds scurrying away when you walk outdoors).
When ready, place your bird feeder on a branch or post in your yard, or put it on a stable surface and fill it with food. As the birds come to know your space, they will quickly become aware of the new source of food, and start visiting your bird feeder.
And there you have it! You’ve now built a bird feeder and successfully mounted it. Be sure to monitor it regularly, and also keep track of the types of birds that visit. Enjoy watching nature come to life in your backyard!
5. Enjoying your Bird Feeder with your Family
Creating and feeding birds together as a family is a great way to bond and can be extremely rewarding. Here are some fun activities to do with your bird feeder:
- Take turns watching: Set up a seating area outside, away from the feeder, and take turns watching it. Enjoy identifying different birds and charting their activity.
- Take pictures: Set up a camera and take pictures of the birds! Analyze the pictures later. Look at the shape of different birds’ beaks and observe the different behavior of each species.
- Nature walks: Explore your surroundings and take a nature walk around the neighborhood. Look up different birds near you and look for signs of nests. Listen for different bird calls and see if you can identify them.
Not only will these activities make for interesting conversations and insights, but they can also serve as science activities and provoke intellectual curiosity in kids.
Make your bird feeder visits even more enriching with a scavenger hunt! Have fun crafting clues, search for birds and objects, or play a mini-game of observation. Whichever you choose, family bird feeder visits will be filled with good times!
Making a bird feeder is a great activity to do because it is both easy and fun. Not only will you get to understand the basics of handiwork, but you’ll create something that’s sure to draw attention from the birds in your yard. It’s also a good way to teach your children the importance of taking care of nature. This is a fun activity that the entire family can enjoy, and you can all look forward to watching the birds indulge in your delicious bird feeder.
Happy bird-feeding!