8 Leftover Scrap Foods You Can Use To Make Natural Bird Feeders

It's generally considered a good idea to toss extra food scraps like pumpkin rinds or corn cobs onto your compost pile. However, dedicated backyard birders may want to save their scraps to make DIY feeders for feathered friends instead of turning them into soil. You can easily turn a number of food scraps, from old apples and corn cobs to stale ice cream cones and orange peels, into eco-friendly bird feeders with just a little preparation. These natural contraptions will attract more birds to your yard without you having to spend money on man-made products.

Before feeding the birds in your backyard, it's important to take note of anything that's unsafe for them. While it's not necessarily unhealthy for birds to eat cooked food, they don't tolerate spice (including naturally spicy foods like garlic) or salt well, so any scraps you offer them should be free of these ingredients. Most of these DIYs in this list use twine or wire to turn the scraps into hanging feeders. If you use these craft supplies, make sure to remove them and any non-edible scraps from your yard once the birds have had their fill. You don't want to litter. For the best results, don't make this simple mistake when filling your bird feeder: stocking it in the morning instead of at night.

If you ever have leftover squash from a recipe, it's incredibly easy to turn it into a natural bird feeder. First, halve the squash horizontally and remove all the innards. From here, you can either use twine to hang up the squash feeder or leave it as is. If you want to add some seating for the birds, make an X-shaped perch on top of the emptied out halves with thin wooden dowels or sticks from your garden. Fill it up with birdseed and wait for the birds to start flocking.

Apples that are bruised or have passed their peak ripeness can be turned into a small bird feeder that will hang from any shrub in your yard. It could be as simple as cutting out the core from an apple, looping a piece of twine through the resulting hole, and pushing some sunflower seeds into the flesh. Or, to give the neighborhood birds a finer dining experience, slice the apple lengthwise, carve out a bowl in its core, and fill with a mix of peanut butter and seeds. Tie twine around the apple for a natural, colorful hanging feeder.

Here's a budget-friendly DIY feeder that will keep birds flocking to your yard year-round: transform a pumpkin. Cut out around a quarter of the pumpkin, carve out the innards, fill it with birdseed, and hang it up outside with twine. The lip of the hole acts as a perch for birds. As a bonus, pumpkin seeds are a great snack for wild birds and can be incorporated into the seed mix. Use up old Jack-o-lanterns after Halloween, but be sure not to use any pumpkin that has been painted.

Humans aren't the only species with a sweet tooth — birds also enjoy the occasional treat. If you have some leftover plain ice cream cones from your latest sundae night, consider turning them into bird feeders. Thread a piece of twine through the pointy end of the cone and tie it in a knot, then coat the cones with a thin layer of natural peanut butter. Sprinkle birdseed over the sticky cones until they're completely covered and hang them up around your yard. This craft works best in cold weather since heat can melt the peanut butter.

Any orange peel that's large enough to act as a bowl can easily be turned into a bird feeder. To attempt this DIY, carefully scoop out the flesh from the peel of an orange next time you eat one. Pierce two wooden skewers through the orange so they form an X, aiming for the center of the orange for stability. Tie twine around the ends of the skewers to hang the orange and fill the bowl with birdseed. Or skip the skewers and just thread twine through four holes.

For fans of iconic wild birds like blue jays, woodpeckers, and robins, try turning your leftover walnut shells into mini feeders. Walnut shells are natural containers and are perfect for holding small amounts of nuts and seeds. Use a screwdriver or drill to carefully pierce the walnut shell and attach it to a wooden round threaded with twine. Add birdseed to each shell, using peanut butter to help it stick if needed. This is a great craft to combine with another DIY bird feeder made out of organic materials from your yard.

Left with a load of spent corn cobs after a big family meal? It only takes a moment to transform them into bird feeders, so don't throw them on the compost pile. Start by pushing a length of wire or twine through one end so you can hang the cob on a tree branch. You can also use a drill to make holes for twig or skewer perches at the other end. Leave the cob hanging outside for a few days until it dries, then slather on the classic combo of peanut butter and birdseed.

Don't throw out the container of overripe blueberries you forgot in the refrigerator — they're sure to be a hit with birds like warblers, cardinals, and swallows. Blackberries, cranberries, and a host of other berries only need the help of thin, adjustable wire (or even a thick strand of grass) to create a bird feeder. Slide each berry onto the wire, pushing it down to the end before adding the next, similar to making a friendship bracelet. You can also intersperse the berries with healthy stale cereal, like Cheerios. Bend the wire into fun shapes to make your feeder unique.