Make Upcycled Birdhouses

by Jamie
(UT, USA)

Your pinecone bird feeder reminded me we love making "upcycled birdhouses"!

We've used old boots, scrap pieces of wood, coffee cans, old wicker baskets....

Whatever you use you want to make sure that the "roof" is waterproof and has a bit of an awning so any rainwater will run off and not into the birdhouse. A few scrap pieces of wood (or other material?) will usually work well. We like to stuff ours with cotton, yarn scraps, twigs...anything to get the nest started. You'll also want materials that are as rustproof as possible. Some rust is okay as long as it's on the outside. We like to seal any edges with something like hot glue to make sure the water and rust can't get inside. Add a perch too, and hang it somewhere protected from high winds and rain if you can. This will make it more inviting to your birdies.

They may not last forever, but they do last awhile, and when you're done with them you can recycle what you can (even old boots might be recycled into a small container for plants!!!) and build a new one with the kiddos. My kiddos like to decorate them up, too. :)