Until this past Christmastime, I’d never heard of a birdseed ornament. Now, I’m obsessed with these easy, fun little beauties you can whip up and hang out super-fast and easy for a budget-friendly price. I find them especially handy for feeding songbirds in the backyard during the winter months.
Many of the recipes are similar, but the nuanced changes could make all the difference in your ability to make a given one – or desire to do so! – read carefully and pick the best ones for your situation to make. Some, for example, are better for making with kids, and many are specific to certain bird species.
Table of Contents
Easy Big Batch Ornaments
When it comes to crafting, I’m all about big batches. This recipe for birdseed ornaments is all about making a bunch at once for easy gifting, distribution, and saving money overall. Plus, the recipe doesn’t use corn syrup and only requires three ingredients.
Easter Egg Birdseed Ornaments
It is probably one of my favorites of all time. I love, love, love decorating the trees outdoors for Easter, so whipping up some Easter egg birdseed ornaments is super fun for my little family and me. They’re super simple and fast to make, and the kids can help and have loads of fun with it.
Orange Peel Birdfeeder Ornament
I also love composting and reusing food scraps that would otherwise wind up in the landfill. These little orange peel birdfeeder ornaments are the perfect way to enjoy a healthy snack and feed your feathered friends without waste of any kind.
Frozen Fruit Wreaths
Okay, so technically not an ornament – but these fruit and seed rings are the perfect way to feed birds in the backyard from any post, hook, or larger tree branch available.
Kid-Friendly PB&J Birdseed Ornaments
Here’s a fun one to make with the kids – PB & J birdseed ornaments! They’re incredibly easy to make and so much fun for everyone – especially the birds.
Corn Syrup, Flour Birdseed Ornaments
For a simple, easy recipe that holds together pretty well, even in warmer climates, try these corn syrup and flour birdseed ornaments from Amy’s Colorado Kitchen. They’re easy, fun, and so delicious for birds! They’ll keep asking for more and more.
Iced Birdseed Ornaments
If you live in a cooler climate, these iced birdseed ornaments are a fun, attractive way to go. You just need some silicone ice trays (or dixie cups if you want bigger ornaments!), some birdseed, and a few other tools and supplies.
Edible Birdhouse
Okay, so here’s a super fun project I wouldn’t have thought of myself: an edible birdhouse. I just love this concept! You decorate a birdhouse with edible glue (safe for birds) and birdseed, dried fruit, and other bird-friendly goodies. Then, hang up the birdhouse and watch as the birds have some delicious fun!
Nuts, Dried Fruit, Seed Ornaments
I’m a huge fan of feeding fruit and nuts to birds along with the traditional birdseeds and mixes. So, this one is a new favorite of mine. You’ll use cookie cutters to shape the treats and infuse them with dried fruit, peanuts, pecans, seeds, and whatever else falls into the healthy, happy realm for birds.
Cookie Cutter Bird Seed Ornaments
It is another super easy, cookie-cutter birdseed ornament. You just whip them up with some birdseed, unflavored gelatin, and water. Easy, peasy, and done so quickly! The birds will love your yard.
Peanut Butter Birdseed Ornament
For this peanut butter birdseed ornament, you just need sunflower seeds, unsweetened peanut butter, and birdseed mix. Blend and follow the instructions for the perfect ratio for a delicious treat for your feathery friends.
Bread and (Peanut) Butter Ornaments
Here’s another fun one to make with the kids. You’ll use peanut butter, bread slices, bird seeds, and a few other tasty bird-friendly ingredients to whip them up in no time.
Birdseed Balls
I love birdseed balls, for whatever reason, so I was thrilled to run across these bird-friendly treats to whip up with friends over a weekend. The recipe uses peanut butter and lard for the perfect wintry treat for birds needing extra fat in their diets, and bird seeds, cornmeal, and a few other tasty goodies.
Birdseed and Fruit Wreath
So, this also technically isn’t an ornament in the sense of being small enough to hang from any old tree branch. But this beautiful birdseed and fruit wreath is the perfect way to keep your bird friends happy and well-fed for quite a while.
Peanut Butter Suet
If you’re all about suet feeding, try whipping up a batch of this peanut butter birdfeed suet. You can shape it how you like, add some holes for hanging, or just use it in a traditional suet feeder.
Birdseed Sticks
You can whip up a batch of birdseed sticks using this recipe from eHow. Just switch the seeds for blends for wild birds!
Edible Backyard Garlands
Also, not technically an ornament, but these edible backyard garlands are gorgeous and help your neighborhood birds feel happy and well-fed with a little extra variety. You can use some popcorn and dried fruit, plus I like to make miniature birdseed ornaments to include along the strand for some extra birdseed goodness.
Sunflower Ornament
Many species of birds adore sunflower seeds. So, this sunflower ornament is the perfect way to make them happy. There’s no specific tutorial for this one, but it is a bit more involved and requires some planning ahead: you have to grow your own sunflowers for them.
Grow the flowers, harvest the plants (i.e., cut off the heads at the end of the season), dry the sunflower heads, and store someplace dry and cool. Then, when you’re ready to decorate with your dried sunflowers, you pull them out and hand the sunflower heads into nearby trees using ribbon, twine, or yarn. Hang from the stalk (which should be 5 to 6 inches long) and voila – birdfeeder ornaments the whole flock will love!
Peanut Cranberry Garland
Another favorite choice is this peanut cranberry garland. You just need to cut some twine or string the length you desire, then use a tapestry need to poke holes and the string through the peanut shells and berries. Add some peanut butter seed balls for some extra texture and happy birds.
Cranberry Seed Wreath
Another stunning wreath idea is this cranberry seed wreath from Liz Bushong. You’ll want to use medium and small-sized seeds for the wreath to attract many birds, including chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, cardinals, and wrens.
Birdseed Snowman
This one’s not technically an ornament, but I’m sure you could figure out how to hang it from a tree if you desired. This little birdseed snowman is so much fun, though! It’ll keep the birds in seeds for weeks.
Teacup and Saucer Birdfeeder Ornament
Unlike the other ornaments, this is more of a “traditional” ornament that you use to feed the birds instead of being the feed. You’ll need a teacup and saucer, some appropriate adhesive, and some birdseed for it. It’ll be a unique and beautiful touch to your garden any season.
2-Ingredient Ice Ornament Feeder
This super simple, 2-ingredient ornament feeder is easy and fun and completely healthy, and natural for your feathered friends. The kids can make the feeders, too, without any issue. You just need water and birdseed, plus some ribbon. Follow the tutorial for the right ratio blend.
Birdseed Bell
Another fun birdseed ornament is this birdseed bell. The recipe is super easy to follow and comes out beautifully just about every time! Just follow the instructions carefully to ensure the ornament holds together.
Birdseed Bell #2
If you love birdseed bells as I do, you’ll love this second option as well. They’re easy to make and look gorgeous (well, at least when you first hang them up!) and birds love them!
Birdseed Fat Ball Feeder
This homemade fat ball birdfeeder was designed by folks who know their stuff. They use a pinecone, suet (or lard), birdseed, and twine to create it, just with healthy, happy birds in mind.
