How to Build Wooden Bird Feeders

Placing a bird feeder in your yard invites birds for viewing. Making your own wooden bird feeder at home saves money and provides an enjoyable do-it-yourself project. This bird feeder has a square base, four walls and a partial roof. The front half of the feeder will be shorter and have no roof; the back half of the feeder will be higher and have an angled roof lower at the back.

Exterior half-inch plywood, 2 feet by 4 feet
Exterior half-inch plywood, 1 foot by 2 feet
Window screen, 20 inches by 10 inches
Galvanized nails, diameter 1 1/4 inches
Power saw or hand saw
Waterproof glue
Hammer
Drill

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the piece of plywood that measures 1 foot by 2 feet into two identical pieces for the side walls of the feeder. Each side wall will measure 20 inches at the base. The first half of each piece should have a height of two inches; the second half should have a slanted top that begins with a height of 10 inches and ends with a height of 7 3/8 inches. Discard the cut-off pieces of plywood.
- 2
  Cut 4 inches off the side of the plywood piece that measures 2 feet by 4 feet, so that it will measure 20 inches by 48 inches. This piece will make the back wall, roof, base and front wall. The front wall should measure 20 inches by 2 inches. The back wall should measure 20 inches by 7 3/8 inches. The roof should measure 20 inches by 12 5/8 inches. The base should measure 20 inches by 20 inches. Discard the extra plywood aside.
- 3
  Lay the 20-inch-by-20-inch piece of plywood flat on the working surface; it will serve as the floor of the bird feeder.
- 4
  Hold the 20-inch-by-2-inch piece so that the longer sides lie parallel to the working surface, and the shorter sides stand vertically, perpendicular to the working surface. This piece will serve as the front wall of the feeder. Hold this piece so that one side is against the edge of the base. Glue and nail together.
- 5
  Hold the piece that measures 20 inches by 7 3/8 inches so that the longer sides lie parallel to the working surface, and the shorter sides stand vertically, perpendicular to the working surface. This piece will serve as the back wall. Hold this piece so that one side is against the side of the base that is opposite to the front wall. Glue and nail into place.
- 6
  Hold one of the two identical pieces vertically, with the side that measures 20 inches at the bottom. These pieces will serve as the side walls of the feeder. Hold one piece against a side of the square base so that the shorter end aligns with the 20-inch-by-2-inch piece and the taller end aligns with the 20-inch-by-7 3/8-inch piece. Glue and nail into place. Do the same with the other side wall.
- 7
  Drill a 5/8-inch drain hole at each of the four corners of the base, about 1 inch away from the sides. Lay the window screen over the base to cover all the holes and nail into place. The holes will allow water to drain out but will keep the seeds in.
- 8
  Place the remaining piece of plywood on the slanted walls of the feeder so that 3 inches juts out to the front of the feeder unsupported by any wall. Glue and nail it into place.

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