Winter is swiftly approaching, which means birds will be struggling to find food in the winter months. As a gardener, you can provide nourishment to birds by creating all-natural ornaments to hang on your outdoor trees. These ornaments are not only functional but also add a beautiful touch to your yard decor. In this blog post, I’ll give you multiple different bird seed ornament recipe. Also how to make all-natural ornaments for outdoor trees to feed the birds this winter.
Pinecone Bird Feeders
Making pinecone bird feeders is a simple and fun task, and you’ll only need three ingredients: pinecones, peanut butter or honey, and birdseed.
Start by collecting pinecones from your yard or a local park. Make sure they are clean and dry before use. Aside from the pinecones, you’ll need peanut butter or honey to serve as the adhesive and birdseed to attract the birds. Then you want to attach a string to the top of each pinecone. This will make them easy to hang once they’re completed.
Using a butter knife, spread peanut butter or honey all over the pinecone. Make sure to get it into all the nooks and crannies. Then simply roll the sticky pinecone in a bowl of birdseed until it’s fully covered. After the birdseed is firmly attached to the pinecone, hang it from a branch of your outdoor tree.
Pinecone bird feeders are a natural and eco-friendly way to provide nourishment to birds during the harsh winter months. Plus, they add a rustic touch to your garden decor!
Coconut Oil Birdseed Ornaments
Coconut oil birdseed ornaments are another great way to feed the birds during the winter while adding a unique touch to your outdoor decor. For this, you’ll need coconut oil, birdseed, cookie cutters, and string.
Firstly, heat the coconut oil until it’s in a liquid state, and then mix in the birdseed. Stir until the birdseed is completely coated in the oil. Arrange your cookie cutters on a tray lined with parchment paper, and spoon your birdseed mixture into them, pressing it down firmly to ensure it holds shape. Make sure to create a hole at the top of each ornament for the string.
Once you’ve filled all your cookie cutters, place the tray in the refrigerator. Allow the ornaments to harden for a few hours or overnight. After the birdseed ornaments have solidified, carefully remove them from the cookie cutters, thread a string through the hole at the top, and hang them on your outdoor trees.
With these coconut oil birdseed ornaments, you’re providing essential fats for the birds’ diet during the cold winter months, and your trees will look festive and inviting.
Fresh Fruit Ornaments
Another great option for feeding birds in the winter is to create fresh fruit ornaments. These are simple to make and offer a variety of essential nutrients for the birds. Here is a simple guide to make them:
To start, you will need fresh fruits such as apples, oranges, or pears, some twine or string, and a wide-eyed needle. Slice the fruit into half-inch thick rounds. Then, use the needle to thread the twine through the top of each fruit slice, creating a loop for hanging.
Be sure to hang these fresh fruit ornaments higher up in the trees where they’re safe from any potential predators. Not only will these ornaments provide valuable nutrients for the birds, they also add a pop of color to your trees, creating a picturesque scene in your winter garden.
Dried Fruit Strings
Dried fruits are another great option for feeding birds in the winter, lasting longer than fresh fruits, and they can withstand harsh weather conditions.
You’ll need a variety of fruits such as apples, oranges, pears, and apricots. In addition, gather twine or string and a large needle.
To prepare dried fruit ornaments, start by slicing your chosen fruits into thin rounds. The thinner the slices, the quicker they will dry. After slicing, use a large needle to thread a piece of twine or string through the top of each fruit slice.
To dry the fruits, you have two options: air drying or oven drying. For air drying, hang the fruit slices in a warm, dry area with good airflow for several days. For oven drying, place the fruit slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them in an oven preheated to the lowest setting. Leave the oven door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape and dry the fruit slices for about 6 hours.
Once the fruit slices are completely dry, they are ready to hang on your outdoor trees. The dried fruit ornaments not only attract birds to your garden but also add a festive touch to your outdoor decor.
DIY Suet Cakes
Suet cakes are a high-energy food source that birds love, particularly during the winter months when natural food sources are scarce. Making your suet cakes is quite straightforward, so here’s how you can do it:
First, gather all the necessary materials. You’ll need one cup of lard or beef suet, one cup of birdseed, one cup of oatmeal, one-third cup of cornmeal, and one-third cup of sugar.
Start by melting the lard or beef suet in a pot over low heat. Once it’s entirely melted, turn off the heat and add the birdseed, oatmeal, cornmeal, and sugar. Stir the mixture until everything is well combined.
After it’s all mixed, pour the mixture into a mold or container. You can use anything you have on hand, like a baking tin or even an ice cube tray. Allow the mixture to cool and harden. Once it’s set, you can remove the cakes from the mold.
Finally, string a piece of twine or yarn through each suet cake, then hang them from the branches of your trees. Watch as the birds flock to your garden to enjoy these nutritious treats!
Remember, these DIY suet cakes not only serve as a vital food source for birds in the chilly months but also act as charming, homemade ornaments, enhancing the beauty of your winter garden.
Orange Cup Feeders
Orange cup feeders are another excellent way to provide food for winter birds. They are easy to make and can be filled with a variety of bird-friendly foods. Here’s how to make them:
First, you’ll need a few oranges, twine or string, a spoon, and birdseed. Start by cutting the oranges in half and scooping out the fruit, leaving you with a hollow peel. Be sure to retain the scooped-out fruit as you can use it to make fresh fruit ornaments.
Next, poke two holes opposite each other on the edge of the orange peel. Thread a piece of twine or string through the holes, tying it securely so that the orange peel can hang from a tree.
Fill the orange cup with birdseed, making sure it’s packed well. Then simply hang the orange cup feeder on one of your outdoor trees.
These feeders provide a nutritious food source for birds, and their bright color adds a beautiful touch to your winter garden. Plus, the hollowed-out oranges serve a dual purpose by reducing waste – a win-win for nature!
Birdseed Ornament Recipe
Creating your own birdseed shapes using cookie cutters is a fun and creative way to feed winter birds. This simple DIY project allows you to make bird feeders in a variety of shapes and sizes. Here’s how you can make them:
First, gather your materials. You’ll need birdseed, unflavored gelatin, flour, warm water, cookie cutters, straws, and twine or string.
To begin, mix half a cup of warm water with a packet of unflavored gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then add one and a half cups of birdseed to the mixture, ensuring all seeds are coated with the gelatin mixture. The gelatin acts as an adhesive to hold the seeds together.
Next, add a quarter cup of flour to the mixture and stir until everything is well combined. The flour helps to further bind the seeds together.
Lay your cookie cutters out on a flat, parchment-lined baking sheet. Fill each cookie cutter with the birdseed mixture, pressing down firmly to pack it in tightly. For a hanging hole, cut a piece of straw and press it into the birdseed mixture where you want the hole to be.
Allow the birdseed shapes to dry overnight or until they are hard. Once they’re fully dry, carefully remove them from the cookie cutters and pull out the straws, creating a hole. Thread a piece of twine or string through each hole, and voila, your DIY birdseed shapes are ready to hang on your outdoor trees!
These birdseed shapes not only provide a nutritious food source for birds but also add a charming, personalized touch to your winter garden.
Wire Wreaths Filled with Peanuts, Corn, and Cranberries
Wire wreaths serve as a versatile base for creating an enticing winter feast for your backyard birds. Filled with peanuts, corn, and cranberries, these wreaths not only provide nourishment for the birds but also offer a visually appealing addition to your winter garden. Here’s how you can create your own:
First, gather the necessary materials. You’ll need a wire wreath frame, peanuts (either in shells or shelled), dried corn kernels, fresh cranberries, florist wire, and a pair of wire cutters.
Start by threading the peanuts, corn kernels, and cranberries onto the florist wire. Alternate between the different food types to create a colorful pattern. Once you have a long strand of threaded food, begin wrapping it around the wire wreath frame. Continue this process, filling in any gaps, until the entire wreath frame is covered.
Cut the florist wire with the wire cutters, and then tuck the end into the wreath to secure it. Now, your wire wreath is ready to hang in your garden. This nutritious and festive decoration is sure to draw a variety of birds to your garden, adding life and color to the winter landscape.
Popcorn and Cranberry Strings
Stringing popcorn and cranberries is a traditional holiday craft that doubles as a delightful bird feeder during the winter months. To create this festive bird treat, you’ll need fresh cranberries, plain popped popcorn (avoid salted or buttered varieties, as these are not good for birds), a needle, and a sturdy string or fishing line. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Begin by threading the needle with a long piece of string or fishing line and create a knot at one end. Then, carefully thread a popcorn kernel, followed by a cranberry onto the string. Keep alternating between popcorn and cranberries until the string is almost full, leaving enough space at the end for a second knot.
To finish, tie a knot at the open end to secure the items on the string, and create a loop for hanging. Hang the popcorn and cranberry strings from the trees in your garden. The bright, contrasting colors of the popcorn and cranberries will not only attract a variety of birds but also add a festive touch to your winter garden. Remember, as with all bird feeders, it’s important to hang them out of reach of potential predators.
Happy Gardening!
By creating all-natural ornaments for outdoor trees, you are providing birds with a reliable winter food source while enhancing your yard’s decor. The ornaments mentioned above are just a few of the possibilities that you can create to feed the birds this winter. So, pick up your DIY tools and start creating natural ornaments – your backyard birds will thank you.
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