How To Repurpose An Apple For A Unique Bird Feeder

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Attracting more songbirds to your yard is often as simple as introducing a feeder. There are lots of fancy birdseed dispensers for sale, but you don't have to spend a dime if you have access to an apple, sunflower seeds, twine, and thin, sturdy sticks. These items can be transformed into a simple feeder that leaves behind very little waste once your feathered friends are done with it. Any twine or sticks the birds don't take for nest building can go in to an easy backyard compost trench.

Prepare the apple by washing it and removing its core, leaving a cylindrical hole in the middle of the fruit. The easiest way is using an OXO Good Grips apple corer or similar tool. After that, push a pair of sticks through the bottom of the apple in a way that forms an x shape. If you'd prefer, use twine to tether two crossed sticks to each other. Square lashing works well, but any method that binds the sticks tightly will do. Next, pull some twine through the hole in the apple. If you connect your sticks with twine, leave one end long to use for this purpose and rest the apple on top of the sticks. If you poked your sticks into the apple, loop twine under the spot where they cross and pull both ends through the core cavity. Then, twist these loose ends together and tie them in a knot so your feeder is easy to hang. Finally, stud the apple with sunflower seeds. Use the pointy end of each seed like a small pin to make assembly a snap. Push half of each seed into the apple to help it stay put.

You don't need a picture-perfect piece of fruit to create an apple-based bird feeder: Use an overripe specimen from your fruit bowl or a recently fallen apple from a nearby tree (as long as it's not growing mold or attracting insects). You can also use any variety of sunflower seeds as long as they don't contain salt or other additives that might make birds sick. For sticks, gather a few twigs from your yard or repurpose sturdy wooden skewers or natural wood chopsticks. If you don't have twine on hand, try using leftover yarn, a thin rope, or a section of an old cotton clothesline. Just make sure it's made of something that can withstand rain, wind, and lots of sunshine when placed in one of your yard's safest bird feeder spots.

No apples at your house? Try making this feeder with a different bird-attracting fruit. Using an orange or tangerine can attract a wealth of avian species, including orioles, tanagers, waxwings, and sapsuckers. Opting for a pear may bring robins, bluebirds, and more to your yard. If you place a pear feeder outside in the fall, it should draw hungry birds flying south for the winter. You can also swap sunflower seeds for pumpkin seeds or tree nuts such as pecans and almonds. Again, make sure these treats are unsalted. Chop large nuts into pieces that smaller birds can handle, and so you can push them into the fruit with ease.