How To DIY A Bird Feeder With An Orange

Nothing is quite as wonderful as having a beautiful and vibrant backyard filled with pretty songbirds — the colors of their feathers bright against the trees and their cheerful songs filling the air. Inviting these lovely creatures into your yard can better connect you with the natural world in addition to giving local wildlife a safe, welcoming place to feed. The rewards will be even greater when you can find natural ways to get birds flocking to your yard, such as by making your own eco-friendly bird feeders out of natural materials. 

By upcycling your old item into a cute bird feeder, you will save money and create less waste. They are also fun to make with children or friends. Instead of tossing an orange peel into the trash or your compost pile, why not turn it into a biodegradable bird feeder for seed-eating birds like cardinals, chickadees, and goldfinches? You can fill it with a variety of seeds, such as sunflower, nyjer, and safflower. If you have an orange on hand, you can get started on this project right away! 

All you'll need is the empty peel (you could eat the orange as a yummy snack), a sharp knife, a spoon, a pair of chopsticks, scissors, some twine or string, and birdseed. Make this craft, and before you know it, your backyard will be filled with birds happily flitting to and from your new feeder. As a bonus, this bird feeder can be kept mess-free. Once it's emptied, you won't have to wash it; you could simply toss or compost the whole thing and make a brand-new one!

To get started, cut your orange like they do in this YouTube video from Permacrafters. For a large one, slice it in half horizontally; for a smaller one, simply trim off the top of the stem end. Next, carefully loosen the fruit from the peel by running your knife around the entire outer edge of its flesh. Be gentle so you don't accidentally puncture the peel — otherwise seeds may spill out when you go to fill your new feeder. Scoop out the orange with fingers or a spoon, leaving a hollow shell.

Now, create perches for the birds to sit on by pushing a chopstick through the peel from one side to the other. Do the same with a second chopstick at a right angle to the first, forming an "X" through the center. Cut two lengths of twine long enough to tie and knot around the ends of each chopstick, then secure the pieces of twine together at the top to form hanging loops. Using both hangers will keep your feeder more stable so it won't tip over as the birds feed from it. 

Finally, fill the orange shell to the brim with birdseed, hang it from a shepherd's hook or tree branch, and wait for your feathered friends to visit their new snack station. You can continue to refill your bird feeder as long as it stays clean, sturdy, and in good shape. But once it starts looking worn, make a new one for the birds to visit — you may even want to add multiples of these orange-peel feeders to your yard to attract even more!