16 Budget-Friendly DIY Feeders That Will Keep Birds Flocking To Your Yard Year-Round

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Birds are pretty easy to please. They don't care how expensive your bird feeder is or what it looks like, as long as it's stocked with tasty bird seed. This gives you plenty of latitude if you're considering crafting a DIY bird feeder for your yard, and there are lots of options that cost little to nothing to make. 

If you only want to spend a few minutes and zero dollars on this project, a no-frills plastic bottle feeder is a great choice. If you care more about aesthetics, an elegant, hand-sculpted sphere of branches — perhaps adorned with rose hips and filled with a nest of moss and bird seed — might be more to your taste. Maybe both would work in your yard — it's entirely up to you.

However, don't forget to think about the weather as you narrow down your options. All of the DIY bird feeders mentioned here are suitable for colder months, but some designs will hold up better in wet or freezing conditions than others. Make sure your yard includes at least one well-sheltered feeder, so visiting birds always have a place to find dry food.

Why not give new life to chipped or unused crockery by creating a teacup and saucer feeder? These feeders evoke a whimsical, old-fashioned charm befitting a fairy garden, and the assembly is incredibly easy. This creator used resin glue to fix the two pieces together, and a simple string frame glued in place lets the feeder hang level so the bird seed doesn't slide out. This feeder should be pretty resistant to inclement weather, but you may want to take it indoors during freezing temperatures so the ceramic doesn't shatter. To source cheap teacups and saucers with patterns you love, try thrift stores or yard sales.

This feeder, made from recycled plastic containers, is an impressive feat of engineering. Built using an empty cashew tub and the top half of an orange juice bottle, it even features bird-friendly chopstick and twig perches attached with hot glue. It's an ideal year-round feeder for wet and snowy climates, because the sealed top will keep the seed fairly dry. Making your own version is very feasible, even with limited DIY skills. The biggest challenge will be cutting through the thick plastic to create smooth entrance holes for the birds. This creator used a Dremel tool and tin snips, but you could also use a utility knife.

Hanging a whiskey bottle bird feeder in your yard will probably become a point of conversation at the next barbecue, but an empty milk or soda bottle also works. It's hardy enough to withstand cold weather, although you may want to take it indoors in very windy conditions, lest it go flying. A seed attachment, like this Gadjit Soda Bottle Bird Feeder, is the only cost for this project. Make sure to hang it with strong rope, as the combined weight of the glass bottle and bird seed means a full feeder might be too heavy for string.

Creating an organic branch feeder is more labor-intensive than many other designs, and perhaps not as practical. That said, the finished product will be a true work of art, and it's designed to look natural, not perfect. To make one, you'll need access to plenty of long, soft, flexible branches. This creator used honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium) to create rings from the branches, then combined them into a sphere. A nest of moss inside holds a bed of bird seed. This design should work as a year-round feeder in most climates, even holding up in snowy weather. 

There are plenty of clever ways to reuse old mason jars in your yard, including turning them into DIY jar bird feeders. Simply attach two pieces of rope to hang the jar evenly, and add a wooden spoon for a perch. Painting the spoon lets you add more color and personality to your backyard, but you could complete your feeder in minutes if you skip this step. Just remember to use non-toxic paint to protect any birds that perch on it. As with other feeders made from fragile materials, you may want to bring it indoors during rough weather. 

Another design made from repurposed containers, this plastic bottle feeder is both foolproof and weather-resistant. The simple body consists of an empty water or soda bottle with a stick for a perch. There are tiny pinholes in the base for drainage, and larger holes on either side so birds can access the seed. Unlike the feeder made from thick plastic containers, you shouldn't need any special tools to assemble this. A standard pair of scissors will work fine, so a supervised child should be able to make their own, meaning you can add "kid-friendly" to the list of pros for this straightforward design.

This adorable little feeder is a great way to upcycle old dishes, particularly any melamine plates and bowls that your kids might have outgrown. You can also pick up new dishes at a dollar store. The trickiest part of this build is managing to drill holes in the center of each dish without the plastic cracking; however, once that's done, assembly should be pretty straightforward. You'll just need a threaded steel rod (about 8 inches long), washers, and nuts to connect the bowl with the plate "roof." Not only is it a charming design, but the plate will provide shade while keeping the seed dry on rainy or snowy days.

Consisting of a cardboard tube covered in peanut butter and rolled in bird seed, this DIY feeder is about as basic as it gets. You can use small toilet paper tubes or larger kitchen paper tubes. We've tried it ourselves using an empty Pringles can, but with mixed results. No matter what size tube you use, make sure to hang the feeder from or near branches. Without a built-in perch, birds will need somewhere else to sit and eat. Take the feeder down once it's been stripped of food, or if you're expecting a stretch of wet weather. 

This DIY aluminum pie pan feeder is another design that couldn't be any simpler. The only supplies you'll absolutely need are a pan, a hole punch, and some string. Adding some kind of extra weight to the pan keeps it from being tipped by the wind – this creator used a stone painted with a message that was meaningful to them for a special touch. However, a few clean rocks will also work. By adding a few tiny drainage holes, you should be able to keep this feeder outdoors year-round. 

Milk carton bird feeders are fun to paint and customize, making this a perfect craft project for kids. These creators actually combined three feeders for a design inspired by colorful rowhouses in Newfoundland, complete with a deck made from popsicle sticks. How cute would it be to make a group of bird feeders designed to look like the buildings in your neighborhood? Or to transform them into friendly creatures, complete with googly eyes and silly faces? While the paint may get ruined in the rain, the seed should still be fairly well sheltered. 

This DIY feeder is a must-try if anyone in your household eats a lot of fruit. Your neighborhood birds won't be able to resist flocking to these bright, fragrant orange peel feeders. Adding perches makes it easy for birds to stay and dine awhile, but you can also skip this step and simply fill the halved orange peels with seed. You'll have to keep an eye on these feeders, since the peels will start to rot eventually. However, if you make your own compost, the spent feeder can go right on the pile.

While it's similar to the orange peel design, a coconut shell bird feeder is a little more durable. Coconut shells should be able to withstand harsh weather conditions, and they take much longer to decompose, so you can use them all year long. This feeder is simple to make and will give your yard an "island oasis" vibe. Tying one half of the shell to the other at a right angle creates a cozy little shelter for the bird food, and you can fill them with suet or seed. This is another feeder that should be hung from or near branches, because it doesn't have a built-in perch.

Installing a feeder made from a clear plastic bucket is a genius way to keep birds fed year-round. It's low maintenance, and a bucket can hold several scoopfuls of seed, so it shouldn't need refilling as often as many feeders do. This creator used half of the lid to create a porch to keep the seed dry, and drilled a hole for a stick that gives visiting birds a comfortable perch to stop and rest. Bear in mind that nailing the feeder to a post will make it harder to take down and clean regularly.

Tin can feeders are like shiny baubles in your garden, and you might love the way they sparkle in the sunlight. Birds, however, might feel differently. A tin can feeder can be used in any weather, but if hung in direct sunlight, the reflections coming off the tin can might scare birds away. So, you'll either need to hang this kind of feeder in a shady spot, or paint the outside of the can. Construction is best handled by an adult, as the cut metal edges could be sharp.

A shallow basket, rimmed plate charger, or even an upside-down brimmed hat can work as a hanging woven feeder. You could also snag something suitable at a thrift or dollar store if you don't already own anything appropriate. The natural colors and textures of woven textiles blend in well with natural landscapes, so this design could be a perfect choice if you don't want your bird feeders to stand out. Just be sure to check that the weave isn't too loose, otherwise the seed will fall out. Also, with no covering, you'll want to swap out wet and soggy seed after rain to prevent mold growth.

Making a popsicle stick bird feeder might take you right back to childhood in the best way possible. It's one of those simple summer-camp crafts that's still wildly satisfying to make as an adult. That said, the part where you have to hold the roof pieces together until the glue starts to dry is always annoying. This creator went with a cheerful striped design; an ombre effect or rainbow pattern would be pretty cute too. Choosing pre-painted materials, like these Mr. Pen Colored Popsicle Sticks, gives you tons of options to play with. Plus, the vibrant roof protects the bird seed from the elements.