Building a Bird Feeder

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This easy to build bird feeder is a great project for a beginning woodworker and it will attract many birds to your yard. Be sure to hang your feeder out of the reach of cats and other predators, but low enough so it can be refilled easily.

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• Make Your Own
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• USGS Plans for Nest Structures,
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• 1 fruit juice can about 4 1/4" x 7" tall
• 2 pieces: 1 x 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches  (top and bottom)
• 1 piece 1/4" x 1/4" x 20" (cut into one 9 1/2" piece and 2 pieces that are 4 5/8")
• 1 40" piece of 1/4" x 1 3/8" lattice (cut into four 9 3/4" pieces)
• 42" #16, 17 or 18 wire (galvanized or aluminum preferred)
• 3/4" wire nails (galvanized or aluminum preferred)
• 3/4" staples
• exterior grade glue (optional)

Wash the can and allow to dry. Paint with a good exterior house paint or metal enamel. Finish the wood portion in either exterior house paint or exterior stain. Drill two holes in both the top and bottom pieces near the center and about 2 - 3 inches apart. Line them up so the holes are in the same location in both pieces.

Cut the lattice strips and nail them around the base. (Each piece will extend beyond the base by 1/4" on one side.) Extend the tops of the lattice above the base. This creates a shallow tray to hold the bird seed.

Place the quarter inch strips on top of the base as shown and attach using staples or glue. Assemble the rest of the pieces as shown. Secure the wire under the bottom tray by twisting the ends together tightly.

To fill, raise the top and fill the can with seeds. The small opening at the bottom will allow birdseed to come out as birds eat up what is on the tray.