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How to Make Pine-Cone Bird Feeders

How to Make Pine-Cone Bird Feeders
A great alternative to store-bought bird feeders is the humble pine cone. Making a pine-cone bird feeder is a perfect project for kids or anyone looking to attract a few more friends to their home or garden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:
  • Pine cone Peanut butter Margarine Birdseed String Newspaper Mixing bowl Spatula
  • Pine cone
  • Peanut butter
  • Margarine
  • Birdseed
  • String
  • Newspaper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
Step 1
Find an open pine cone. Pine cones contain numerous seeds. The cone disperses seeds by opening its flaps, allowing the seeds to fall out. Find a pine cone that has already opened. The open spaces can then be effectively filled with birdseed.
Step 2
Tie 3 feet of string to the top stem of the pine cone. Wrap twine tightly around the top, interweaving your wraps under the pine cones flaps. String has to be affixed tightly enough to stay attached with the weight and movement of birds pressing on the cone.
Step 3
Spread out the newspaper. The next few steps are going to get a little messy, making now a perfect time to prepare a space to work.
Step 4
Mix peanut butter with margarine in mixing bowl. Peanut butter is a bit too thick to easily spread and stick to your pine cone, necessitating the addition of oil or leavening. Margarine works well, but shortening, vegetable oil or peanut oil could also work in a pinch. Mix enough margarine into the peanut butter for it to take on a smooth and sticky texture.
Step 5
Spread the peanut butter mixture evenly over the pine cone using your spatula. Make sure to get peanut butter into all the nooks and crannies.
Step 6
Fill mixing bowl with bird seed then dip in the pine cone. The seed mixture should adhere easily to the peanut butter. Spread as much bird seed on to the surface of the pine cone as it can bear.
Step 7
Hang your new bird feeder from a narrow branch. Hanging the feeder from a small branch will help prevent squirrels. Make sure also to hang your feeder high enough that ground animals can't get at it.

Tips & Warnings

 
Tailor your seed mixtures to the type of birds you want to see.

Resources

Article Written By Louie Doverspike

Based in Seattle, Louie Doverspike has been a professional writer since 2004. His work has appeared in various publications, including "AntiqueWeek" magazine, the "Prague Post" and "Seattle Represent!" Doverspike holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Hamilton College.

Write for Trails.com

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