These DIY hummingbird feeders and bird swings are a very fun craft that I’m so excited about! Very few supplies are needed and the construction is easy. Making these was my partner’s idea, and we made them out in our yard together. I’m very into dates, parties, and hangouts that involve group crafts, and this project is a great candidate for that kind of get-together. Plus, the birds in your neighborhood will benefit too.
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Materials:
- 12 gauge half hard copper wire
(Pictured above.) This is really the only material that needs to be purchased for this project, and it’s important to get the right kind.
12 gauge is firm enough to support a good amount of weight, but pliable enough to shape with your hands. - Foraged branches or twigs
The twigs we used were from bushes in our yard.
Alternatively, a dowel or bamboo stake from the hardware store could be used. - Small container or jar
I used mini Bonne Maman jam jars.
Small plastic containers can also work, and a quarter-pint jar *might* work, but I think it may be too heavy for the wire. - Pliers
Most of the shaping can be done by hand, but pliers are helpful for the ends of the wire. - Hummingbird nectar
I picked this concentrate up at the local hardware store.
I believe you can also make your own— it’s essentially a simple syrup. - A drill with a small bit or a nail and hammer
This is to make a small hole in the top of your feeder.
How to make DIY hummingbird feeders:
Begin by making a hole in the lid of your chosen nectar container. We used an 1/8” drill bit to do this, but you could also use a large nail and hammer.
Shaping the copper wire for your feeder can be pretty free-form. What you need to ensure is that the wire both supports the feeding container and creates something from which to hang. The nectar container also needs to be able to be removed so that it can be refilled.
Take a look at the examples of the hangers we made above and below for ways to shape your wire. For my feeder, I started by wrapping the wire around the jar just below the jar’s widest ridge. Then I bent the end of there wire back around itself, then continued the wire upwards to create the hanger, which for me was a decorative loop into a spiral to hang from. Chris’s is simpler, the whole thing is a spiral that holds the jar.
Tip: be sure to get a looooong piece of wire. I thought mine was long, but as you can see, my hanger wound up being much shorter than Chris’s. Still cute though.
Lastly, fill your container with nectar and hang.
How to make DIY bird swings:
Like the feeder, the copper wire can be shaped in any way that you wish. The branch is where the birds will perch, and the wire acts both as decoration and as a hanger.
Use two pieces of wire for the bird swing: one that attaches to the branch, and another to hang it by. For my hanger, I wrapped the ends of the wire decoratively around the branch, and bent the wire in the center to make a pointed arch shape.
I then used a second piece of wire to make a spiral shaped hanger.
The wire is so strong that it doesn’t need any additional securing to the branch. Just wrap!
Hang your new yard accessories wherever birds like to hang out!
We tried to put ours near windows so we can see the birdies doing their thing from inside. Have fun!
Before you go– have some leftover copper wire?
Make a nesting supply hanger for birds to pull moss, twigs, or pet hair from to build their nests! I’ve used fur from my kitty Luffy in mine. Any natural materials found outdoors or organic fibers like cotton or wool can be used. These supply stations are especially helpful to bird in the Springtime.
