How To Make Cool Can Feeders and Attract Birds
If you love birds, you are bound to have some kind of bird feeder in your garden. I love to watch the birds feeding from inside my window. It is such a relaxing and enriching experience. It is very healthy to sit back and take time away from the stress in your life and a great way to do this is to sit back and watch the birds playing and tweeting and feeding in your garden. With the corporate world whizzing by, sometimes it is hard to find pleasure in things that are free. It just so happens nature has given us this pleasure for free in providing us with Birds to watch and enjoy. But to make the most of this gift, we need to provide the right surroundings to really attract the birds in coming. Creating beautiful bird feeders is an art as well as a service to the birds in the area. And of course birds don't go away during winter in some places, so don't forget about them when you are tucked up snuggled in a rug on the sofa inside. The birds still need to be fed. There are some easy and accessible ways to make cheap but interesting and beautiful bird feeders these days.
You can easily make a bird feeder from things you might have already lying around the house or shed. Start by finding an old can. Just peel the label off of it and make sure it is really clean. Now you can paint the outside of the can with good weather proof colors in any design or colors you choose, but don't paint the inside. Brighter colors often attract certain species of bird so have you got any red or orange or yellow paint?. Of course some types of birds wouldn't worry about the color of the feeder, they are most probably color blind. When you have finished with the appearance of the can and it is all dried, find a durable plate of some kind to fix the can to its center.
Before you attach the can to the plate you have to puncture some holes in it. These holes will be where the food can be accessed by the birds. Make the holes all over near the top and in the middle of the can. Make sure you can fill the can with seed or bird food when the can is turned upside down. When you have finished with the holes and the way you will be filling it, it is time to attach it to the plate. Use a very strong bonding glue from the hardware store to fix the two pieces together. Now if you have done it right, there will be an area of plate right around the can so that the birds can perch there while feeding through the holes.
Great, Now you have to put it somewhere. Choose a tree or structure outside that you can see from your favourite sitting place. Of course you can simply place it on a table or bench somewhere on your deck or porch area. But sometimes it looks best in a tree. To hang it from a branch of a tree you will need to use some kind of chain and a hook. By cutting another hole to your feeder, you will be able to thread the chain through and with the hook attached, hang it on the tree. Try different chains and ropes and also try fishing line if your bird feeder isn't too heavy.
Now that your new feeder is hanging pretty in the tree, you have to make sure it is always clean so don't forget to clean it at least once a fortnight. Being clean and attractive will allow for the birds to keep coming back to enjoy their new feeding place that they will learn to love. Just refill the can whenever you have to. If by some chance you find that no birds are coming to the feeder, try changing the bird seed. All birds are different and some species simply might not like that particular type of feed. Just experiment a little. Now that wasn't too hard was it? See what can be done with hardly any money and a bit of creative thinking. So don't forget to take time out from the stress in your life and smell the roses so to speak!
At Bird Feeder Designs, we specialize in bird feeders, bird cages, bird houses and much more. If you're a fellow bird lover, then this site is for you.
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