DIY A Clever Frozen Bird Feeder That Keeps Birds Coming To Your Yard In The Winter

As temperatures drop, your garden goes dormant, and it may feel as if there's little to do in your backyard until the last winter frost means it's time to plant. But while your plants may be sleeping, there are still your feathered friends to take care of. There are a few fun tips and tricks to keep local birds coming to your yard all winter long. Generally these projects involve providing food and water when resources are scarce. For species that don't mind a bit of cold weather, you can put together a whimsical frozen bird feeder using nothing but water, berries, and a bit of imagination. This project is eye-catching, functional, and easy to craft, making it ideal for gardeners, hobbyists, and children. 

This frozen feeding station is a basically a bowl-shaped chunk of ice with a piece of twine frozen into the sides which works as a handle. The vessel can then be packed with seeds, nuts, and any other natural treats your native birds love. It should hold up well for as long as your region maintains freezing temps, and invite birds to partake in their natural foraging behavior by pecking, pulling, and exploring the ice to reveal food sources. Don't worry about your visitors freezing their feet from standing on the edges of the ice bowl either, as birds' feet have evolved to naturally regulate blood-flow for warmth. It's why ducks can stand around on ice without catching frostbite. This frozen bird feeder DIY is so easy, you can make several throughout the winter as the thermometer rises and falls. 

Making your own frozen bird feeder is a fairly simple process, and there are a number of tutorials online for making an ice bowl. You'll need two similar bowls or pails, where one is a couple of sizes smaller. Create a base in the first with a loose layer of berries or evergreen sprigs (you want space under the smaller bowl for water to freeze). Set the second, smaller bowl inside. , such as two bowls or pails that comfortably nest with a bit of water between them. Add in seasonal bird snacks like dried fruit or holly and juniper berries, then fill the larger receptacle with water. Add weights inside the smaller bowl to keep it in place, and insert either end of twine in the water to create a handle, so you can easily hang the entire affair to a tree branch or fence post. 

Let the whole thing freeze overnight. This can be done in your freezer, or by leaving the bowls outside while preparing for freezing winter weather. Pour a little warm water in the inside bowl to loosen it, then lower the outside bowl into warm water to do the same. Fill your ice feeder seeds and nuts, and set it where you'd place any bird feeder to keep birds safe (though it will last longer away from direct sunlight). As the feeder melts, the interior buffet also becomes available for hungry birds.