Make a recycled bottle bird feeder

This bottle bird feeder is a great way to help our feathered friends as well as a great way to upcycle an old plastic bottle.

It’s important to feed birds throughout the year including spring and summer, when seeds, insects and fruits play an important role for birds who are rearing chicks, but avoid offering whole, loose peanuts during nesting time as these may choke baby birds.


What you will need:

  • An empty, clean plastic bottle with a lid
  • A drawing pin
  • A pair of scissors
  • Two small sticks approximately 12 – 14cm in length (for example, an ice lolly stick or sticks from the garden)
  • A piece of string
  • Some bird seed

How to make your bottle bird feeder:

  1. Use a drawing pin to make two holes on opposite sides of your bottle at the same height.
  2. Using scissors, carefully widen the holes until they are just smaller than the width of your sticks.
  3. Push one of your sticks through both holes to form your first perch for the birds.
  4. Make two more holes in the same way, but higher up the bottle, so that they are at 90 degrees from your first set of holes.
  5. When you insert your second stick, it should form a cross-shape when looked at from below.
  6. Use your drawing pin and scissors to make some small drainage holes in the bottom of your bottle.
  7. About 4cm above each perch, use your drawing pin to make a hole and widen it using the scissors (these will be the feeding holes).
  8. At the neck of the bottle, make two holes opposite each other and thread through your string and tie a knot.
  9. Pour your bird seed into the bottle, screw on your lid and hang up your bird feeder!

 

 

This activity has been created in partnership with SCLD and Scottish Badgers
as part of Scottish Learning Disability Week and Mental Health Awareness Week.

 

Share a photo of your bird feeder using #DiscoverLearnPlay

Time to complete

30 mins

Suitable for age

Suitable location

Resource Level

Curriculum linked

Sciences (biology; ecology; natural history)

Arts (crafting)

 

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