DIY A Simple Bird Feeder By Repurposing Jar Lids

Mason and other canning jar lids might spend a lot of time cluttering a cupboard, hidden in some dark corner for who knows how long. The ring-shaped screw band and the flat sealing disc that goes with it often part ways somewhere during their clandestine kitchen adventures, perhaps never to meet again. If you keep all your mason-jar accouterments in the same place, congratulations; those lidded jars come in handy for so many things, such as holding make-ahead meals for your next camping adventure. But if you do end up with a few screw bands and no sealing discs to go with them, there's a brilliant way to repurpose them. 

Those rust-free screw bands are quite useful for making unique bird feeders. This type of feeder doesn't hold loose seed, but rather seed that's molded together into what's known as a suet cake, not so different from those birdseed bells sold in the seed aisle in some stores. Gelatin is the secret ingredient that allows the birdseed blend to stay together in solid form within the screw band from a canning jar. A loop of twine serves as a simple hanger so you can easily hang the ring in your yard. The end result is a cute and clever feeder for your backyard feathered friends. 

The fun of a birdseed cake is that you can use just about any wild birdseed blend you like, or even customize it yourself. For instance, you can add raisins or currants, safflower seeds, or even peanut bits. If you have more than one type of birdseed, you could mix separate batches to appeal to different bird varieties — a simple hack to get birds to flock to your yard. 

To make a seed blend that sticks to itself within canning jar screw bands, mix two packs of unflavored gelatin with ¼ cup of water, stirring until the gelatin dissolves as much as possible. Add ⅔ cup of boiling water, stirring thoroughly again. Add four cups of your favorite birdseed blend and mix everything until all the seeds are coated. This batch will fill quite a few feeders, so it's a good way to use up a bunch of screw bands, as long as they're free from rust. 

Spread some parchment paper or wax paper atop a baking sheet for easier cleanup. Tie twine loops through each screw band, then set them on the baking sheet. Spoon the seed mixture into each band, packing it down with the back of the spoon. Add more to each band until it's full. Some of the mix may seep out the bottom; either just stick it back onto the top or set it in a tray feeder. Place the baking sheet in the fridge overnight, or at least for a few hours, until the seed cakes become firm. If you don't mind feeding squirrels, hang some of the feeders from branches where squirrels and birds can also reach these homemade tasty snacks. You can add multiple feeders throughout the yard with shepherd's hooks, away from trees, to make it more difficult for squirrels to access.