How To Make The Best Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments
These homemade bird seed ornaments are perfect for nature lovers of all ages. Get the kids involved as a craft activity and a way to watch wildlife in their very own backyard! Plus, DIY bird seed ornaments make great DIY gift ideas for new neighbors or friends and family that love bird watching!
As a bird lover and nature enthusiast, I get so excited whenever I can involve the whole family in a fun DIY project that is both kid-friendly and good for the environment.
One of my favorite projects with my little ones is making homemade birdseed ornaments! It’s an easy, creative way to add some festive cheer while also creating a natural source of food for our feathered friends.
Remember the old milk jug bird feeder where you cut the jug apart and put the seed in it for the birds? Kind of boring, right?!?!
So why not create something fun and unique that you and your kids can hang from the tree branches and then get to watch all kinds of beautiful birds come to eat?
And it’s the perfect complementary project to making Easy Homemade Hummingbird Food!
You and your kids will love the process of deciding what shapes to make, what seasons to make the ornaments for, or wrapping these bird seed ornaments for gifts.
The kids will so enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor as birds come to feed on the birdseed ornaments that they created.
If you love outdoorsy DIY recipes and projects, try my Drip-Painted Flower Pots and How To Make A DIY Nature Mandala projects!
Supplies needed for this birdseed ornament recipe
Made treats for the wild birds in your yard that double as great decorations! Here’s what you’ll need to make bird seed ornaments for your backyard birds.
- Bird seed – birdseed with smaller millet will likely hold together more easily
- Unflavored Gelatin
- Water – room temperature
- Assorted Cookie Cutters
- Plastic Straw – cut to 1.5-inch lengths
- Twine – ribbon will work as well
How to make bird seed ornaments
This process for making this easy project is super simple! Just follow these steps!
Step 1
Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Step 2
Place your cookie cutters on the parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Step 3
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Step 4
Remove the saucepan from heat and add gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved.
Step 5
Pour in birdseed and stir, making sure it is totally coated in the gelatin mixture.
Step 6
Spoon the birdseed mixture into each of the cookie cutters. Pack the birdseed mixture down into the cookie cutter using the back of the spoon.
Step 7
Place a straw straight down into the mixture near the top, at least a 1/2 inch from the top.
Step 8
Allow to set up overnight.
Step 9
Gently pull the straw out and remove the cookie cutters from your simple birdseed ornaments.
Step 10
Using a piece of twine, loop it through the hole made by the straw and tie a double knot. Next, make another double knot at the ends of the twine.
Step 11
Hang your bird ornaments in a tree. Enjoy your new birdwatching hobby – even younger children love to watch a bright red cardinal or wide variety of birds munch on your beautiful birdseed ornaments!
Bird Seed Ornaments Recipe Notes And Tips
- This recipe will make 3 – 7 ornaments depending on the size of cookie cutters you use.
- Give your cookie cutter a quick spray with non-stick cooking spray. This will help to remove the ornament from the cookie cutter more easily.
- A cookie cutter with minimal or no detail on the inside is best. The ornament will hold together much better after it dries.
- Carefully flip your bird seed ornaments over halfway through the drying process. This will ensure that they are dry all the way through.
- Hang the ornaments in the tree near a branch so the birds have a place to sit while they enjoy their little feast!
- These gelatin birdseed ornaments make GREAT homemade gifts for bird lovers or housewarming gifts for family, friends, and new neighbors!
Variations Of Bird Seed Ornaments To Try
- Decorate your trees with bird seed ornaments years round. Make Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, moons, stars, and any other shapes you love to decorate all year long. The birds will love it. 😉
- Wrap in cellophane and add a ribbon so you can give these fun ornaments as gifts to your teachers, friends, and neighbors.
- Follow the same recipe but substitute the bird seed for sunflower seeds, peanuts, egg shells, raisins, or any other bird-friendly food that will hold up together during the process. You can even make Cheerios birdfeeders!
- If you want a gelatin-free alternative, combine ½ cup peanut butter, 3 T melted coconut oil, ¾ cup flour, and 3 cups mixed seeds in a mixing bowl. Spray the sides of the cookie cutters with cooking spray.
DIY Bird Seed Ornaments FAQs
Do you have questions about making Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments? If you have a question and don’t see it already answered below, please leave it for me in the comments!
If you store your ornaments in a storage bag or airtight container and place it in a dry, cool place, they will keep for up to 3 – 6 months.
Yes, it is! When at the store shopping, you can check the labels for ingredients just to make sure they all contain relatively the same ingredients. You just want the finished ornament to utilize only simple ingredients so they’re safe for those hungry birds.
Try these Songbird Treats Bird Seed Cakes!
Honestly, I think that depends totally on what you prefer. Try both and see what works well for you. 🙂
These ornaments will attract plenty of hungry birds, including Carolina chickadees, cardinals, American goldfinches, tufted titmice, red-bellied woodpeckers, and more!
More Kid-Friendly DIY Projects To Try
If you love this homemade bird seed ornaments project, check out these other fun family-friendly ideas too!
- Easy Pet Rocks Craft Idea For Kids
- 5-Minute Non-Toxic Easy Homemade Playdough
- How To Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint
- Best DIY Family Fun Yard Games
- Fireworks In A Jar Science Experiment
Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments
Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments are perfect for nature lovers of all ages! It's easy and provides a great way to observe birds in their habitat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups birdseed
- 2 - (.25 oz) packets of unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup water
- Assorted cookie cutters
- Straws - cut to 1.5 inch lengths
- Twine
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange your cookie cutters on the parchment paper.
- Add the water to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Remove from heat, and pour in the gelatin. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the birdseed, and stir until it is all coated in the liquid gelatin mixture.
- Spoon the mixture into the cookie cutters.
- Add a straw near the top, at least ½ inch from the top.
- Using the back of the spoon, pack the bird seed down into the cookie cutter.
- Allow to set overnight.
- Carefully remove the straws and the cookie cutters. Loop twine through the hole made from the straw, and tie in a double knot, then make another double knot near the ends of the twine.
- Hang your ornaments from tree branches, and enjoy watching the birds peck away!
With a little trial and error, I found a procedure that really worked. After filling my cookie cutters, I used parchment paper to really press down HARD on the seed (without having it end up on my hand). I let it dry overnight, or for 8-12 hours. Then I used a spatula to carefully turn them over and press down HARD on that side to really hardpack the seed. That gave me a smooth (and hard) surface on both sides, which held together very well!
Hi Gloria! GREAT idea! Thanks for sharing – I’m sure it’ll help other readers too!