Quick and Easy DIY Birdseed Ornaments for the Garden

During the harsh winter months, as many as 100 different bird species supplement their natural diet with seeds and goodies from garden bird feeders. Adding a little bird feeder to your backyard during the colder months can help these little critters out, especially if their natural food is scarce.

You might already have a super duper bird table or feeder that many bird friends are already familiar with, but if you don’t have the space or desire for a permanent bird table, there are some really sweet little birdseed ornaments that you can make at home. What’s more, anything remaining can be simply composted at the end of the season.

Get the kids involved and start making a bunch of birdseed ornaments this winter using very simple ingredients and materials.

What Kind of Birdseed Do I Need?

The kind of birdseed you need to get will depend on the species of birds likely to eat from a feeder you have in your area. You might have to do a little research.  There are some great resources online to help you, or you can check in with some local birding groups. That said, sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn are a really good start if you simply aren’t sure what to get.

Once you have the right seeds, you will also need some kind of binder to hold the seeds together. To keep things plant-based, you can use vegetable shortening, coconut oil, or even peanut butter. Agar-agar makes a plant-based substitute for gelatine.

Cookie Cutter Birds Seed Ornaments

Source: CBC Parents/YouTube

Many of the cookie-cutter birdseed ornament ‘how to’ videos (like the one above) and recipes out there call for gelatin as the binder. In an attempt to make this a plant-based endeavor, you can substitute the gelatin for agar-agar powder.

You will need: Agar-Agar powder, birdseed, some natural twine or string, cookie cutters

First, dissolve one tablespoon of agar-agar powder into one cup of water and bring it to a boil rapidly. This is enough binder for two cups of birdseed.

Then, fold in two cups of birdseed and stir until all of the seed is covered.

Next, lay out your cookie cutters on a cookie sheet. Press the mixture into the cookie cutters until the whole cookie cutter is filled.

You need to make a small hole in the top of the cookie so that you can thread string through it for hanging once it is set. You can do this by pressing an old cut-up straw, a piece of dowel, or a short pencil through the mixture. Leave whatever you have used in the ‘cookie’ while it cools.

Now, you have to let them set. If you have room in the fridge or freezer, this will significantly speed up the process.

Once the birdseed cookies are set, remove the item you used to make a hole and prize the ornament from the mold. Thread a piece of string through it to make a loop for hanging.

Alternatively, you can use vegetable fat, such as vegetable shortening or coconut oil, instead of agar-agar.  Work with a ratio of about one part fat to two parts birdseed. Follow the same instructions as above, but use melted fat instead of agar-agar.

Pinecone Bird Feeder Ornaments

Source: Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center/YouTube

This is another great craft to do with the kids as it doesn’t involve cooking or heating of any kind. It is kind of messy, though! Another fun part is that this ornament requires that you go out and forage for pinecones as well as raiding the pantry for some nut butter. Any will do, but peanut butter is obviously the most economical.

Once you have your pine cone, attach a length of twine or natural string around the top of it so that you can hang it up.

Then, smear peanut butter all over the pine cone. There really are no rules here. Be as generous as you like! Crunchy or smooth? The birds don’t care!

Next, pour some birdseed into a bowl and roll your peanut-buttered pinecone around in it until the whole thing is covered in seed. Now, you are ready to hang it up somewhere for the birds to enjoy.

Once the birds have picked it clean, you can just apply more peanut butter and seed.

Related Content:

• Animal Rescuer Speaks Out Against “Squirrel Proof” Bird Feeders After Too Many Critters Get Stuck
• 5 DIY Bird Feeders for the Home and Garden
• Can a Bird Feeder in Your Backyard This Winter Benefit You and the Birds?
• Scientists Warn Bird Feeders to be Cautious of New Pneumonia-like Disease Discovered in European Birds
• Growing Concern Over Birdfeeders After Bird Deaths
• How to Make Bird Feeders From Recycled Materials

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