Easy Pine Cone Bird Feeders
Looking for a creative and sustainable way to invite birds into your backyard? Look no further than pine cone bird feeders! These delightful creations not only provide nourishment for our feathered friends but also add a touch of natural beauty to your outdoor space. This simple yet rewarding project is perfect for kids and adults alike, allowing you to create a sustainable food source for our feathered friends while enjoying quality time outdoors.
SUPPLIES FOR MAKING DIY BIRD FEEDERS
- Pine Cones
- Bird Seed
- Shallow Pan or Tray
- Peanut Butter (you may also use Sunflower Seed Butter or other nut butter)
- Ribbon
- Butter Knife
- Paper Plate or Small Bowls
Tip:
Peanut butter is a good high-protein food for birds, and they can eat any of the same types humans do. When buying it specifically for birds, look for natural peanut butter or organic peanut butter with the fewest additives. They love chunky peanut butter with nut pieces, but smooth may be easier for children to spread.
For the first step, I filled the bottom of a shallow pan with some birdseed. I love using foil roasting pans for jobs like these (I use them for everything from marble painting to paper making) since we can reuse them dozens of times before they finally lose their shape and need to be recycled. A shallow cardboard box or box lid would also work great.
My boys loved the sensory aspect of sifting through the birdseed, picking out the larger seeds and corn, and sorting the other seeds into different sizes.
We selected a couple of medium-sized pine cones that we collected on our last nature walk, and the boys got to work covering the pine cones with a thick layer of peanut butter.
For this step, it is important to take your time and make sure there is plenty of peanut butter filling all of the cracks and crevices. When in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of more peanut butter vs too little peanut butter! (Bonus: this is excellent fine motor skills practice, too!)
Once your pinecone is completely covered with peanut butter, place it into the tray of birdseed. We left the very top of the pine cone free from peanut butter for easier handling.
(Be sure to have some paper towels or wet wipes on hand so you can quickly clean up those sticky little hands!)
Roll the pine cones around in the bird seed mixture until they are completely covered. Save any leftover extra seed in a plastic zipper bag for next time.
Tie a ribbon or piece of twine to the top of the finished pinecones, hang them from your favorite tree branches, and wait for your feathered friends to come and feast!
Looks like they like the sunflower seeds!
