With the arrival of winter and the consequent drop in temperatures, the birds that live in our gardens have great difficulty finding food. As we have already explored in a previous article on the winter nutrition of birds (in which you will find many tips and guidelines dictated by Lipu on the correct feeding of birds), helping birds during the cold season requires great attention and an enormous dose of awareness, to avoid producing more harm than good. Furthermore, if we wanted to wink at sustainability, we could build them feeders with recycled materials, objects that more or less we all have at home.
Very few elements are enough: any container, some rope, a few handfuls of seeds… and our green space will become a refreshment point for great tits, sparrows and all the other feathered friends who will want to join the party.
Life-saving feeder
The first frosts change the face of the garden: the flowers go away, the greenery retreats and only the birds remain, faithful over the centuries, who will have serious supply problems, because in winter food resources become dramatically scarce for the birds.
From this perspective, a well-positioned and regularly stocked feeder becomes a real lifesaver for great tits, sparrows and robins. The constant food support allows them to maintain a high body temperature, which is essential for surviving the freezing nights. Furthermore, it reduces the energy expenditure linked to the search for food, which in winter can require hours of flying and travel between areas that are increasingly poor in resources.
If you want to offer support to birds without who knows what financial outlay, there are three extremely simple do-it-yourself solutions. Let’s look at them one by one.
First option: the plastic bottle
The first is probably the most immediate and quickest solution to implement. All you need is an empty, carefully cleaned plastic bottle. A side opening of about ten centimeters is made, a few centimeters from the base: this allows the birds to reach the seeds without letting them fall everywhere.
Just tie a string to the neck of the bottle, hang it from a solid branch and the feeder is ready. The main advantage? It is recycled intelligently and, in case of damage, replacement will be at no cost.
Second option: the plastic box
If you are looking for more stability, opt for a plastic box with openings. String or metal wire is passed through the holes, the bottom is covered with cardboard or newspaper (to keep the seeds dry) and everything is fixed to a resistant support.
Our second feeder will be able to host several birds at the same time, also performing a social function, given that it could cause territorial disputes between feathered friends. It will also allow us to calmly study the behaviors of each species, for what will take on the appearance of a real daily soap opera, decidedly more relaxing than the evening news.
If you have a small outdoor camera, place it near the feeder, because the scenes you film could be absolutely memorable, especially the inevitable arguments between birds.
Third option: the wooden box
The wooden box combines all the desirable qualities: environmentally friendly, durable and easy to decorate. You need a small box, some watercolors, a few brush strokes (there could be even more, depending on your creative flair) and you can get a feeder that is as beautiful as it is functional.
Once hung with twine and/or metal wire, it will become a real piece of furniture for the garden.
Remember the positioning of the feeder
The location of the manger matters as much as its construction. The ideal is to choose an open area of the garden, at a safe distance from walls and shrubs where cats could carry out typical ambushes. Birds need to see their surroundings clearly to feel safe while feeding.
Equally important is protection from the elements: strong winds and heavy rain can make access to food difficult and quickly deteriorate the seeds. Better to opt for a sheltered position, perhaps under the canopy of a tree that can offer natural cover without impeding visibility.
As regards the ideal height, position the feeder one and a half / two meters above the ground, an optimal distance to discourage terrestrial predators, and at the same time sufficiently accessible to allow easy maintenance and regular replenishment of seeds.
