Why Build a Bird Feeder?
Providing food, nest boxes, nesting materials, water, and natural habitat can attract birds to our backyards, giving us much nicer views of them and, when done properly, making life easier for the birds. Attracting birds is also a great way to learn about nature, and it's something the whole family can share. Having a bird-friendly yard has never been more important – nearly 80 percent of wildlife habitat in the United States is in private hands, and an average of 2.1 million acres each year are converted to residential use. Birds are loosing their natural habitat. Making our yards good homes is a good thing.
An easy way to start out attracting birds is to put up a bird feeder. We'll brainstorm and work together on the design of your feeder and we'll get an expert in to talk about the habits of our local birds and the foods that appeal to the birds you want to attract. And the best places in your yard to place feeders.
Providing food, nest boxes, nesting materials, water, and natural habitat can attract birds to our backyards, giving us much nicer views of them and, when done properly, making life easier for the birds. Attracting birds is also a great way to learn about nature, and it's something the whole family can share. Having a bird-friendly yard has never been more important – nearly 80 percent of wildlife habitat in the United States is in private hands, and an average of 2.1 million acres each year are converted to residential use. Birds are loosing their natural habitat. Making our yards good homes is a good thing.
An easy way to start out attracting birds is to put up a bird feeder. We'll brainstorm and work together on the design of your feeder and we'll get an expert in to talk about the habits of our local birds and the foods that appeal to the birds you want to attract. And the best places in your yard to place feeders.
PROJECT STEPS
1. Learn about local birds. Select birds you want to
have use your bird feeder
2. Research the ideal bird feeder for your birds.
3. Plan and design your bird feeder to fit your bird’s
habits and preferences.
4. Survey your house and yard. Pick a location for the
bird feeder.
5. Create a paper bird feeder. Remember, the design
must incorporate wood and metal materials.
6. Optional: Make a cardboard prototype.
7. Plan your final design. Include wood and metal.
8. Research and specify the “smart” technology. There will probably be several options.
9. Build your bird feeder. Add “smart” electronic
components and complete wiring.
10. Write computer code that allows the electronic to
communicate with eachother. Test the electronics.
11. Take Bird Feeder home and mount in yard.
Connect electronics. Montor feeder and feeding activity.
12. At home: observe birds, record activity and make
field notes on bird behavior aroud the bird house.
Hook up the electronics.
13. Make a final journal entry on the project. Describe
results, and conclusions. Note your successes as
well as anything that could be improved upon if
you were to repeat the project.
1. Learn about local birds. Select birds you want to
have use your bird feeder
2. Research the ideal bird feeder for your birds.
3. Plan and design your bird feeder to fit your bird’s
habits and preferences.
4. Survey your house and yard. Pick a location for the
bird feeder.
5. Create a paper bird feeder. Remember, the design
must incorporate wood and metal materials.
6. Optional: Make a cardboard prototype.
7. Plan your final design. Include wood and metal.
8. Research and specify the “smart” technology. There will probably be several options.
9. Build your bird feeder. Add “smart” electronic
components and complete wiring.
10. Write computer code that allows the electronic to
communicate with eachother. Test the electronics.
11. Take Bird Feeder home and mount in yard.
Connect electronics. Montor feeder and feeding activity.
12. At home: observe birds, record activity and make
field notes on bird behavior aroud the bird house.
Hook up the electronics.
13. Make a final journal entry on the project. Describe
results, and conclusions. Note your successes as
well as anything that could be improved upon if
you were to repeat the project.
  A simple home made feeder. NOT ALL BIRD FEEDERS LOOK ALIKE Bird feeders come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are very functional, but not very interesting to look at. Some are nearly as elaborate as a real house and are very beautifuly decorated. You have a lot of room to be creative with this project as long as you folllow the project sterps. We should add that while you must use wood and metal in the construction, we encourage you to consider plastics, composites, fiberboards. It would also be very cool to add something that has been recycled – like roofing materials, or soda bottle siding. Use your imagination, your creativity, and think different! One final thing: your plan must include "smart" electronics that communicate wirelessly. We'll be working together to figure out the best solutions. Some set-up can take pictures or even video to send wirelessly to a computer in your house. Some can send a Tweet each each time a bird comes to feed. There are very cool options to consider, and the opportunity to learn a lot about microcircuitry and coding. |
A bird feeder "hotel.. The other extreme?
Designing your Bird Feeder
We going to be talking a lot about design when we're together. We'll brainstorm ideas for different designs as a group before we do any planning on paper or prototyping. Then, you'll be designing and building a feeder of your own to take home, but you won't be working alone unless you want to. You can work with a buddy when the actual designing and building begins for your feeder. Or if you prefer, you can work alone.
To get you thinking about possibities, here are links to a bunch of bird feeders that have been built. Remember, your design will need to incorporate wood and metal, and can use other materials so it is not likely there will be anything online you can copy. The idea of looking at what others have done is just to get you thinking about the options.
Here are the links:
20+ Unique Bird Feeders
50 Free Bird House and Bird Feeder Woodcraft Plans
DIY Bird Feeders to Make with Kids on Pinterest
Learn About Your Bird
We going to be talking a lot about design when we're together. We'll brainstorm ideas for different designs as a group before we do any planning on paper or prototyping. Then, you'll be designing and building a feeder of your own to take home, but you won't be working alone unless you want to. You can work with a buddy when the actual designing and building begins for your feeder. Or if you prefer, you can work alone.
To get you thinking about possibities, here are links to a bunch of bird feeders that have been built. Remember, your design will need to incorporate wood and metal, and can use other materials so it is not likely there will be anything online you can copy. The idea of looking at what others have done is just to get you thinking about the options.
Here are the links:
20+ Unique Bird Feeders
50 Free Bird House and Bird Feeder Woodcraft Plans
DIY Bird Feeders to Make with Kids on Pinterest
Learn About Your Bird
Squirrels are resourceful. Keeping them away from the feeder is a challenge. How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
The Cornell Lab of Orthonology is probably the very best online resource to learn about birds. They really know their stuff. Sure, take a good look around Google, but you gotta spend time on the Cornell Lab website. There's tons of information. And you can be sure it is accurate and truthful.
Here's a good link to get started:
Cornell Lab - Attracting Birds
Birds and Predators
Lots of critters love bird seed as much as the birds. Part of planning and design of your feeder should be devoted to preventing predators from stealing the food you'll be putting out for the birds. Squirrels, racoons, your pet cat, hawks, even bears and lots of others want to get in on the birdseed action. This link to the Cornell website it a good place to start learning strategies to keep the birdseed from feeding the wrong animals.
Dealing with Pest and Predators in your yard.
The Cornell Lab of Orthonology is probably the very best online resource to learn about birds. They really know their stuff. Sure, take a good look around Google, but you gotta spend time on the Cornell Lab website. There's tons of information. And you can be sure it is accurate and truthful.
Here's a good link to get started:
Cornell Lab - Attracting Birds
Birds and Predators
Lots of critters love bird seed as much as the birds. Part of planning and design of your feeder should be devoted to preventing predators from stealing the food you'll be putting out for the birds. Squirrels, racoons, your pet cat, hawks, even bears and lots of others want to get in on the birdseed action. This link to the Cornell website it a good place to start learning strategies to keep the birdseed from feeding the wrong animals.
Dealing with Pest and Predators in your yard.
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