Gardening Garden Design Nature Lovers' Gardening How to Make DIY Bottle Bird Feeders By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 8, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Make use of a recycled glass bottle and invite birds into your garden with a homemade bird feeder. We'll show you how to make one while adding your own flair. 01 of 09 Recycled-bottle Bird Feeder After making green-roof birdhouses, Rebecca and Jeff Nickols of Strafford, Missouri, wanted to tackle more environmentally-friendly bird projects. Rebecca's bird feeder is made with a pretty green-glass water bottle and heavy copper wire. The wire supports the bottle and adds a flourish. A small ornament can be attached to the copper wire, like a charm on a bracelet. A feeder attachment designed for this purpose will turn a bottle with a screw top into a bird feeder. 02 of 09 Step 1: Gather the Materials Rebecca suggests using safflower seeds or black-oil sunflower seeds to fill your feeder. She says safflower is a good choice if you have a problem with squirrels, but sunflower seeds will attract the widest variety of birds. Here's what you'll need: About 3 feet of 6-gauge copper wire Vise grip pliers Glass water bottle with a screw top Spool of 20-gauge copper wire Ornament Jewelry pliers Soda-bottle feeder attachment Birdseed 03 of 09 Step 2: Grab the Wire Grab the end of the 6-gauge copper wire with the vise grip, protecting the copper with a piece of fabric, and make a tight curl. 04 of 09 Step 3: Hold in Place Hold the curled end near the neck of the bottle. 05 of 09 Step 4: Wind the Wire Wind the wire around the bottle two or three times. The wire supports the bottle, but it does not need to be snug. 06 of 09 Step 6: Make a Curl Turn it 90 degrees and make a large curl, holding the wire with the vise grips. The feeder will hang from this twist of wire. 07 of 09 Step 7: Attach Your Ornament Cut a length of thin copper wire, attach the ornament, and twist the wire onto the larger copper wire around the bottle. 08 of 09 Step 8: Make Tiny Curls With the jewelry pliers, put a handsome little curl on each end of this lighter wire. 09 of 09 Step 9: Fill and Hang Fill the bottle with birdseed and screw on the soda-bottle feeder attachment. Hang your bird feeder from a branch or a shepherd's crook. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit