Birds are beautiful, help your garden, and support your local ecosystem, so bring more into your yard with these awesome, easy DIY bird feeders!

I love songbirds, and I have several feeders in my yard. But I get bored with the same old stuff you find at the box stores… I love the idea of making bird feeders because it’s an easy project even for beginners, and also because I think it makes the connection with nature stronger when you have had a hand in it. 

Since I love things that are just a little bit unique, here are our top picks for creative DIY bird feeders that any gardener can make for their feathered buds. All of these have tutorials with great step by step instructions, and some of these would be fun to make as a family as well.

Before You Check Out Our Bird Feeder Designs…

Before you build a DIY bird feeder, take the time to learn which birds visit your yard. This may affect the size and shape of the type of feeder that’s best suited for your space and the bird you’re attracting (or trying to attract!) to your garden. 

What Food Should I Put in My Bird Feeder?

When feeding the birds in your area, don’t just buy “wild bird seed” in a mixed package. Most of those mixes contain filler seeds that just get tossed out by many birds. We get lots of finches at our house, so I use both thistle (their favorite) and black oil sunflower seed in our bird feeders. Sometimes, I mix them and sometimes use them alone. See what works best for you based on your birds!

Remember- the time of year can matter too! I think right around the time you do your fall garden cleanup is a great time to start feeding them, so look up what birds are in the area each season.

How do I Keep Squirrels Out of My Bird Feeder?

One of the trickiest things about having a bird feeder is that other visitors, like squirrels, don’t understand that the food isn’t for them! If you have problems with squirrels or other pests, hang your feeder from a bird feeder pole and try adding a “squirrel baffle” to your feeder. Attaching your bird feeder to a tree will make it far too easy for squirrels make their way to the food.

Squirrels can jump about 8 feet, so you can also try moving your bird feeder so that it’s 10 feet from the nearest launching point – only the most athletic squirrels will be a problem then! You can also use food that contains thistle seed, white millet, or safflower seed – I find that squirrels and other pests usually won’t eat these.

The 22 Best DIY Bird Feeders

If you want to learn how to build a bird feeder from scratch, here are my favorite tutorials. Find one that suits your yard, your style, and the types of birds you’re looking to attract. Have fun! 

Best “House-Style” DIY Bird Feeders 

I don’t think there’s anything cuter than a bird feeder that looks like a tiny house! You can play with fun colors and designs, just like these ideas do. 

1. The Trio Bird Feeder

Is this adorable, or what? From ‘Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom‘, we love this fun and fresh bird feeder idea! Easy craft you can do with your kids, too! Video tutorial as well, in case you need a little more visual instruction. ;)

2. The DIY Wooden Bird Feeder

These bird feeder plans from ‘Lowes‘ have a bit of a “Frank Lloyd Wright” feel, and we love it! This one might take you a day to finish yet looks like a work of great architecture, but for the birds.

3. The Cheapest DIY Bird Feeder

Make this DIY bird feeder for less than $4 and in 20 minutes with this tutorial from ‘100 Things 2 Do‘. Simple wooden feeder that anyone can make!

4. The Rainbow Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder

If you want to add a pop of color to your yard, this is the way to do it! This simple DIY bird feeder is a great project for kids, and you’ll only need three items (plus bird seed) to bring it to life with this tutorial from Grace Giggles and Naptime.

5. A Scrap Wood DIY Bird Feeder

If you have some scrap wood and a little bit of old paint lying around, you can make this bird feeder for free! This amazing tutorial from Love and Renovations will show you how to bring it to life in just an hour. Amazing!

Best Easy DIY Bird Feeder Designs

Your bird feeder doesn’t have to be complicated, and if you’re new to DIY projects, building a bird feeder is a great chance to get your confidence up with a really simple outdoor design. Here are my favorite, simple bird feeder designs. 

6. The Minimalist Triangle Bird Feeder

Loving on this geometric DIY bird feeder from ‘Zest It Up‘. This was made with copper pipe, some 1×4’s, a terra cotta platter and a little  glue and rope!

7. The “Tube-Style” DIY Bird Feeder

These color block homemade bird feeders from ‘Handmade Charlotte‘ are made with clear mailing tubes and paint. Simple, not boring!

8. A DIY Mason Jar Bird Feeder

Make a DIY mason jar bird feeder with these easy directions from ‘Country Chic Cottage‘. You can actually make this one in less than 10 minutes.

9. Easy Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder Craft

From Tonya at ‘Create Celebrate Explore‘, this popsicle stick DIY bird feeder is a great project to do with kids. Easy, fun, neat! Simple to follow directions and lots of photos for this tutorial.

10. The Paint Can DIY Bird Feeder

You’ll need new paint cans for these, so that there’s no paint on the inside, but they’re still a simple, vibrant design for your yard. You can paint the outsides bright, fun colors, just like this tutorial from Mom Endeavors.

Natural DIY Bird Feeders

If you’re after a modern aesthetic, here are some great options that will add a great decorative element to your yard!

11. DIY Branch Bird Feeder

Use an old log or branch to create this suet bird feeder. Perfect for birds that cling to trees like chickadees, bluebirds and woodpeckers. Step by step tutorial (including suet recipe!) from ‘House of Hawthornes‘.

12. The Log Bird Feeder

On that note- if you have some extra logs around the house, you can make this one too- in less than 15 minutes! From ‘Suncatcher Studio‘, this tutorial even has a short video so you know exactly what you are doing here. Love the natural look of this feeder!

13. Easy Bird Feeder “Cakes”

Only three ingredients are needed to make these easy DIY bird feeder cakes for your feathered friends. From ‘Wine & Glue‘ these also look pretty in your garden!

14. The Pinecone Bird Feeder

If you live in an area where pinecones are everywhere in fall, grab a couple from the ground and turn them into these adorable bird feeders! They’re a great seasonal addition to your yard, and so easy to make with the help of this Freebie Finding Mom tutorial. 

If you have lots of pinecones laying around, you should also check out the post on our sister blog OhMeOhMy for more pinecone crafts!

Unique DIY Bird Feeder Designs

Looking for something that will really pop in your yard? Here are my favorite “statement” bird feeders – I guarantee you’ll get some comments and compliments!

15. The Boho Style Bird Feeder

This Boho style DIY bird feeder is from ‘Vintage Revivals‘, and is made from just a few items around the house. And, it uses upcycled materials, so it’s earth friendly!

16. The Macrame Hummingbird Feeder

Love the hummingbirds? Us too! (In fact, visit our post on How to Attract Hummingbirds!) Make this DIY hummingbird feeder with this tutorial from ‘Lovely Indeed‘. I love how they chose a coral color for the macrame, hummingbirds would love that!

17. The Macrame and Terracotta Bird Feeder

Here’s another project that uses a little bit of macrame (which seems to be making a come back). Delia at ‘Delia Creates‘, shows us how to make this super cool modern DIY Bird Feeder complete with a video tutorial.

18. The Glass Shade Bird Feeder

Let ‘The Art of Doing Stuff‘ teach you how to make a bird feeder from glass shades. This project has a more modern vibe to it, and I really like how different they are from every other bird feeder. We’ve also seen these made using an embroidery hoop around the globe to hang from. This might have to go on our “to make” list!

19. The Glass Bottle Bird Feeder

We have featured projects from ‘The Garden Roof Coop‘ before, and this is why… these DIY glass bottle bird feeders look store bought, but they have a great tutorial and you won’t believe how easy it is! Love these! We’ve seen some really nice looking wine bottle bird feeders as well!

Birds might like your recycling projects as much as you do, especially if you check out more bird projects using repurposed materials to provide them iwht baths and houses next!

20. The Plate and Bowl DIY Bird Feeder

I really love this DIY bird feeder by ‘Erins Creative‘. Made with just a plate, bowl and some hardware, its cute as well as functional! Great tutorial at the site, jump over and check it out!

21. The DIY Webcam Bird Feeder

You may have seen some really cool bird feeders with built in cameras lately- they’re growing in popularity and multiple brands make them now (I’ll link some below). If that sounds like something you want to make for yourself, check out this tutorial.

The Best Backyard Bird Feeders For Sale

While we were researching this post, we came across a couple of bird feeders you can buy that we felt we just had to include here! So here they are!

22. The Mosaic Bird Feeder

I am always on the lookout for unique bird feeders, and modern style feeders are really hard to find. The Mosaic bird feeder is made of metal, inexpensive, and really cool. If it goes to a general page that means it is out of stock. Browse for more options.

23. The Gillan Bird Feeder

The Gillan Covered Bridge bird feeder is really special, and definitely gift material. Fathers Day, birthdays or Christmas will be a win with this as a present! This bird feeder is hand crafted to last for years, has a copper slide out tray, and is large at 30”! This is a statement making garden piece. If out of stock, browse all of Wayfair’s Bird Feeders here.

24. The window bird feeder

There are many variations of this bird feeder available online. See your feathered friends up close and personal by bringing them right up to your window!

25. Webcam Bird Feeder

If you really never want to miss a bird visitor, these webcam bird feeders are for you!

Find the Perfect Bird Feeder Plans for Your Space! 

Try any one of these DIY Bird Feeders and put them in your garden today! (You’ll thank us!) We think you will also love our post on DIY Bird Bath ideas,  DIY Hummingbird Feeders & Nectar and Creative DIY Rain Chains! Also, check out our post on Indoor Vertical Garden Projects at our sister site, OhMeOhMy!

Note : This post has been freshened with updated projects.

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