15 Awesome DIY Bird Houses and Feeders
Updated on October 31, 2017
Fall might be upon us and the weather might be cold enough for the birds to start migrating south for the winter soon, but we actually find that this is one of our favourite times to make bird houses. There’s a perk to making your own houses and feeders now and hanging them out no matter which way you look at it! You’ll get the last few fall birds, which are usually some of the most colourful, plus you’ll see the few kinds of winter birds that do stick around for winter. If by some chance you don’t see any birds through the chilly seasons, at least you’ll have a house and feeder ready by spring when all of your feathered friends come flooding back to you!
There are, however, so many different DIY bird house ideas out there that we actually had a lot of trouble just choosing one. That’s why we built a whole list of them that we can try any time! We thought we’d share it, just in case you need some guidance as well in the birdhouse making process.
1. Upside down wine bottle bird house
Are you the kind of crafter who will use essentially any project you can get your hands on as an excuse to upcycle and repurpose things you already have around your house? Then we have a feeling you’ll be into this design from Momma Young at Home, particularly if you have at least a little bit of experience in wood working! Their tutorial shows you how to make the wooden frame from reclaimed wooden pieces (for example, you could use cut pallet wood) as well as how to attach the bottle upside down to the back of the frame. Fill the bottle with seed, pace it in the frame holding the wooden part upside down so the seed stays in, and then flip the entire thing upside down at once so the seed spills gradually onto the wooden platform as the birds eat it.
2. Nail-less, screw-less, glue-less bird house
Have you always been a little bit of a MacGyver when it comes to your crafting finding new ways to make different things that you think might be easier than the way that’s recommended everywhere else you’ve seen it? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll be a big fan of this unique wooden birdhouse tutorial that shows you how to make the house without using any glue, screwed, or nails. The DIY Dreamer has all the details for you.
3. DIY driftwood bird house
Have you always loved the look of wooden bird houses but you prefer a more natural look to very neat, very harshly cut wood that sits straight and looks smooth? Then we think perhaps you might enjoy this awesome driftwood bird house from DIY Driftwood that embraces the natural knots and curves in the wood rather than sanding them down.
4. Hanging coffee mug and saucer bird feeder
Were you a huge fan of the upcycling idea but it’s not wine bottles and other empty bottles that you have in mind for your project? Then perhaps you’d prefer to try this repurposed coffee mug and saucer design from Daily Dish instead! Their tutorial guides you through the process of attaching the mug and saucer together as one piece with the mug on its side so that bird seed can spill from inside the mug out onto the saucer for the birds to land on and pick through as they please. Hand the whole thing from a branch by wrapping a piece of rope or hemp string through the mug handle!
5. Macramé coconut bird feeder
Have you been looking for little ways to make your space a little more summer filled even though the cold weather is coming, just to help you survive the winter in tiny ways? Then perhaps dried fruit as a bird feeder is a better idea than just seeds! We’re in love with this mock macramé half coconut feeder that’s actually made with string. The birds will love feasting on the coconut and Comme in Lait Fraise shows you how simple it is to make. Besides, having a summery coconut hanging in the tree by your window will give you a reminder of warmer times!
6. Rustic branch and mesh bird feeder
Have you been careful to build yourself quite a rustic aesthetic in all aspects of your home, so you’re looking for something natural looking and wooden, but a concept that you can make without having any knowledge of actual woodworking? In that case, we think you might be pretty into this woven branch bird feeder idea that looks like a nest! NZ Green Buttons shows you how to bind the branches together with thin crafting wire, attach a layer of mesh across the bottom, and fill it with bird seed and seed balls.
7. Upcycled china and vase feeders
Were you a huge fan of the upcycled coffee mug idea but, even though you have lots of old dishes, china, and crystal pieces, you’re not sure you have just a plain coffee mug and saucer to work with? Perhaps you just don’t have a tree to hang the mugs from even if you do have them. In either case, you might be better suited to these standing china garden feeders from Kaleidoscope of Colours! They show you how to use old broom sticks, skinny flower vases, and cups with saucers to pile yourself some fancy looking DIY feeders that the birds will love landing on.
8. Willow weaving bird feeder
Are you very into the idea of working with woven branches but you’d rather actually weave your branches instead of just bundling them together and attaching them with wire? In that case, we have a feeling you might prefer this woven spiral idea made from willow branches! Colourful Crafts guides you carefully through the process of bending the branches and catching them on each other to keep their shape. This design looks quite complicated, but we think you’ll find it quite a bit easier than you might assume!
9. Wooden window bird feeder
Do you live in a ground level apartment building where you see lots of birds in the common space but you don’t actually have a tree or garden of your own that you can put a bird feeder in? In that case, this window feeder that attaches firmly to the glass with a suction cup is the perfect DIY design for you, especially if you’re feeling up for a slight woodworking challenge. Ana White shows you which measurements, cuts, and attachments to make step by step in order to create the perfect little house shaped feeder that’s space efficient and east to stick up.
10. DIY wine corks birdhouse
Have you always been a huge fan of making things from unconventional materials that you’d normally just recycle or throw out? Then this wine cork bird house is probably just what you’re looking for! Texas Craft House shows you how to use that saved up cork stash you’ve been working on for a few years into an adorable little bird house that almost looks like it’s made of miniature logs.
11. Stone birdhouse
Do you live in a cute, sturdy little stone house and you’d love to make yourself an awesome birdhouse to match? Well, stones are pretty heavy, so we’re not sure trying to make a hanging birdhouse from stones is a great idea, but these stunning standing bird towers are one of our favourite designs! See how they’re done in more detail on Empress of Dirt.
12. DIY log bird feeder
When you said you have a rustically styled home and wanted to keep the aesthetic of your bird feeder natural to match your other in and outdoor décor, did you mean really natural? Well, you can’t get much more natural than this idea from Prodigal Pieces since it’s made directly in the knots and holes of a section of a thick tree branch! Their tutorial shows you how to make a seed mixture that you can apply to hollowed spots in the branch so that birds can peck at them when they dry. Hang the log up from a branch and voila!
13. Wine bottle and decor wire bird feeders
Do you have a little team of birds that comes to your window to see you every morning and you like to feed them right where you can see them so you can enjoy all of their pretty colours? In that case, perhaps you only need a feeder that puts out a little bit of seed at once and is mostly decorative. We like this embellished coloured wine bottle idea wrapped in jewelry wire and beads. Since you sit out to watch the birds each day, you can tip the bottle into the pretty vintage saucer you’ve set it on while you enjoy your morning coffee. Get the details of the whole project on The Garden Rooftop.
14. DIY hanging bird feeder for little girls
Do you get so many birds in the back yard that now your kids have caught on to the idea of how great bird feeders can be and they’re determined to make one themselves? Then help them create a design that will be extra fun for them by including their favourite shapes and characters! We’ve made cartoon shapes with birdseed backings on a string with our kids before and they had a blast watching the birds land on and enjoy their creations in the back yard after. Find out how these butterflies, flowers, and unicorns were made on DIY With Ollie.
15. Bird feeder wreath for kids
Are you a really big fan of the bird feeders where the structure of the feed is actually made from the bird seed itself? We like these ones too because they look awesome and natural and they don’t need refilling until they’re completely eaten and it’s time to make a new one. Sugar, Spice, and Glitter shows you how to make the mixture that’s mouldable and drying, as well as how to shape your mixture around a wreath frame in a way that your kids can help with.
Have you made other types of DIY bird houses and feeders before that you love seeing hanging in your tree but that you don’t see on our list? Tell us all about how you made them or link us to pictures of your work in the comments section!