Attract Birds With A Foraging Tray You Can DIY From A Shoe Box

From pollinator gardens to bird baths, of all the ways to attract birds to your yard, bird feeders are one of the best. Among the many benefits of bird feeders is the fact that there are many different types to choose from, and they can bring in a wide range of birds. If you're considering a platform bird feeder, there are many ways to make one at home from upcycled items. Here, in one of the simplest DIYs we could find for making budget-friendly bird feeders, we share how to repurpose a shoebox lid into a feeding tray that gives the birds in your yard an easy place to land and forage for food.

To make the simplest version of this bird feeder, all you need is a shoe box lid and some twine. Punch one hole in the middle of each side of the shoe box lid, and then string a long piece of twine through each hole. Once you bring all of the pieces of twine to a single point, you can tie them together to hang the bird feeder tray.

Platform feeders, also called tray feeders, attract more different types of seed-eating birds than any other type of feeder. With this simple DIY, you can attract birds like cardinals, grosbeaks, and jays to your yard. You may also lure doves, quails, juncos, and towhees to your garden with this easy-to-make project, especially if you sprinkle some of the seed on the surrounding ground when you hang it.

Making your own bird feeder from a shoebox lid is a simple project that's fun for everyone. If you want to make yours a little fancier or more durable, there are a few extras you can add, such as decorating or painting it. Just be careful to use materials that are safe for birds, such as the high-adhesion paint that's used for bird cages. You could also make it a little more fun by painting a design in peanut butter and spreading seeds on top to provide an extra treat for the feathered friends. Another idea is to leave bits of yarn and string for them to use as nesting material.

To make the holes in the shoebox lid, you can use anything from a hole punch to a power drill. If you'd like to improve the twine supports, you could use four popsicle sticks with holes drilled in each end. Run a short piece of twine through each hole, and tie a popsicle stick to each side of the tray. Then, bring all of the popsicle sticks to a single point, and tie the pieces of twine together. If you notice a problem with birds like sparrows, starlings, and grackles overwhelming your new project, you may want to use multiple feeders in your yard.