How to Make Edible Bird Houses

We all love to feed the birds, and nothing brings life to a backyard like birds especially in the winter months.  But if you want to attract them to nest, and you have been putting up houses but with no interest, then try this idea.

Birds like to nest not far from food sources, and also will look for a safe location.  In my experience, brand new wooden houses needed a couple of seasons on them before a bird became interested.  But try creating a house that has its own food source, and once the food has been picked off, chances are, a feathered family will find your real estate appealing.  Attaching these to trees or fences or even hanging them from poles or branches is a great idea.

You don’t have to have fancy houses, with double decker levels and porches to attract them.  You can quickly make your own or purchase the basic wooden ones online or specialty stores and then cover the outside with edible glue and foods that you know they will love.  It will get eaten and then checked out.  If you want to attract larger birds, then make sure your simple home has a big enough entrance and nesting area.

It is all about “curb appeal” just like the real estate agents tell us when it comes to selling your home.  You need to sell the idea to our fine feathered friends, that this will not only be a great food source but also a home.

Edible Glue and Curb Appeal

This is obviously the first thing that needs to go on the house or feeder in order to create a sticky base for their favourite foods.  You can just use peanut butter, but it tends not to be sticky enough.  You need to mix a few more sticky ingredients in there to make great glue that the birds will love.

Peanut butter, corn syrup, molasses and a bit of flour are a great combination that will also resist the bad weather.  Make sure you cover all exposed areas, and not only will this look cute hanging from that tree, but they will flock to it and be quite happy.

Check out the below video to see just how easy it is to create your own edible bird houses.  You could make quite a few of these for gifts too.  You just need a simply wooden house and you are ready.

Bird House Kits

Toysmith Build A Bird Feeder Kit
Amazon Price: $9.99 $9.10 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 12, 2015)

You can purchase kits to quickly make your own houses, this is a great project for kids, and they will be proud of their project when they build it from scratch all the way to the outer layer of food.

You can get many different styles online; you can also check the dollar tree for some as well.  Get a few for your yard and you not only have an abode for them but instant food sources especially in the colder weather.

MARIANI Sliced Premium Almonds All Natural - 32 Oz
Amazon Price: $19.99 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 12, 2015)

Sliced Almonds for Shingles

You can get sliced almonds at grocery stores, but you can also get good deals online.  These stick well and look like really cool shingles.  They will love to pick at these nuts.

Pennington Ultra Nut and Fruit Blend Bird Seed, 7-Pound
Amazon Price: $30.79 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 12, 2015)

Nut and Bird Blend Premium Bird Seed for Walls

If you want to attract bigger birds, then you will need to build larger houses for them with bigger holes, but no matter what size you build, they love nuts and seeds and especially dried fruit.  You can get bird grade premium food online and if you pour some out into a bowl, you can spoon it over your edible glue to create a “stucco” looking wall.

Volkman Seed Featherglow Fruit & Nut Goodies 2lb
Amazon Price: $200.00 $12.00 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 12, 2015)

Fruit and Nut Goodies for Added Colour

You can check out your local grocery store or home improvement store or a specialty bird shop to get specific bird foods, or you can look online where the variety is huge.  You could create a cottage for them complete with colorful dried fruits and nuts on the walls, and the sliced almonds as shingles.  You will quickly attract birds.

Birdseed Cottage
Amazon Price: $29.95 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 12, 2015)

Ready to Go Cottage

If you don’t really like the idea of making your own edible birdhouse, but love the concept, you can purchase them ready made for your yard.  Simply hang them up and watch the outer layers get eaten and then watch as birds show interest for the inside.    These make great gifts for the bird lover in your life too and add whimsy to your yard. 

Attracting Birds to Your Yard

If you want to bring your yard to life, no matter how big or small, attracting birds is the first step.  You need a long term plan and a short term plan.  The long term is to plant shrubs with fruit and flowering shrubs to attract butterflies and to give birds a place to sit and rest a while.

In the short term, you can hang feeders for them to enjoy and bird baths for them to rest and sit for a while, especially if your yard is bare right now.  You can get poles to hang your feeders from or your edible bird houses.

Place these around the yard, and refill them as needed and it won’t be long before one of those birds that was simply flying right by, will stop and check out your yard.  Give them a place to sit and rest, a place for a drink and then of course a meal.  It is like moving into a new neighbourhood.  Who would refuse that?