Turn An Old Pot Lid Into The Cutest, Woodland Bird Feeder

Are you interested in bringing birds to your yard, but have been daunted by the prices of many of the fancier bird feeders? Or perhaps you'd like to host more birds on your property but don't want to contribute to higher consumption by buying a new feeder at all? If either of these are true for you, then you may just want to consider some budget-friendly DIYs to attract more birds to your outdoor space, like one that repurposes an old pot lid and turns it into your very own woodland-style bird feeder.

This project, as presented by Coffee With My Sunshine on YouTube, involves taking an old pot lid, filling a plastic plant pot with bird seed, and securing the plant pot upside down on the pot lid. This creates a handy dispensing feeder using materials that are easy to find around the house or from the neighborhood. To give the feeder a whimsical, woodland feel, you'll also need a twig (or grapevine) wreath and any other natural decorative embellishments you like, such as leaves, moss, acorns, or pinecones.

When collecting decorations, use items which occur naturally in your environment, or which are designated as being safe for birds. You don't want to risk them pecking at anything that could harm them, either by ingesting it or perhaps getting it stuck to them after they visit your feeder. As Audubon reminds us, real plants are beautiful, natural elements, and "wild birds will love" them.

To start creating your DIY bird feeder from a kitchen staple that birds will flock to, attach a rustic wreath around the outside of the pot lid. You can even try making your own wreath out of twigs from your backyard. In the end, this bird feeder will be similar to a hopper feeder. (See our guide to 11 different types of bird feeders.)

If you happen to have a mesh pot lid (or, alternatively, a splatter guard), as shown in the video from Coffee With My Sunshine, you can use wire to secure the wreath through the mesh and onto the edges of the lid. If doing it this way, make sure you bend the wire into the wreath to protect the birds from injuring themselves on the wire's sharp ends. If you don't have a mesh pot lid, you can simply use some hot glue to attach the wreath to the outside of the lid.

Then, take a plastic plant pot and drill some holes around the outside, big enough to allow seeds to flow through. Fill the pot with bird seed, then place the pot lid over it upside down with the handle inside the plant pot (above left image). Then, flip the whole thing over. You'll end up with a pot lid that's right-side up with an upside-down plant pot over the center filled with bird food.

While it may be tempting to fix the plant pot in place, the pot lid's handle should prevent it from sliding too much. Plus, you'll also need to be able to pick it up again in the future in order to refill it with seeds. To securely hang your feeder, you can use something like twine, an old plant chain, or even woven macramé cord.