Outdoor

Homemade bottle bird feeders

by Fellowship Agency June 8, 2018

In support of the RSPB #BigSchoolsBirdWatch, we’ve been making homemade birdfeeders that you can easily make at school or home to treat the birds to something spectacular! This bottle birdfeeder has trays for the birds to perch on while they eat, and when they’ve finshed the mini trays refill with the feed in the big bottle.

You will need…

  • 2 F1 Gratnells trays
  • Empty drinks bottle
  • Birdseed
  • Gratnells mini trays/small trays or boxes
  • String
  • Paper funnel (for filling)
  • Scissors / cutting knife

What to do…

  • Fill a Shallow F1 Gratnells Tray with birdseed
  • Take a user 2 litre soda bottle and mark the outline of a Gratnells mini tray (or small tray) in two places on the bottle using a permanent marker
  • Using scissors or a cutting knife, cut out the marked holes that the trays can fit into
  • Make a funnel with a piece of paper and use this to help you fill the bottle. Place the bottle inside another Gratnells tray to catch and dropped birdseed
  • Fill up to the first hole and then place your mini tray in the hole, half way inside of the bottle and half outside. Secure with tape should it be a little loose
  • Continue to fill the bottle with bird seed and then add your second mini tray
  • The bird seed should feed into the trays through the tops of the holes
  • Once the bottle if full, fasten the lid tightly and cut a long piece of sting
  • Wrap the string around the neck of the bottle a few times, each time securing it with a knot. Once it’s secure, create a loop with the remaining string
  • Carefully lift your bottle by the string to ensure it is strong enough to hold the weight of the bottle. Hold it over the Gratnells tray to ensure you catch any falling birdseed
  • Take your filled bottle and hang it from a strong tree branch. Be sure to stick around and see if any birds stop by for a snack!

Health and Safety

As with all Gratnells What’s In My Tray activities, you should carry out your own risk assessment prior to undertaking any activities with children. Small children should not operate sharp scissors and we would advise adult supervision with the cutting of the bottle in particular.