How to make birdseed ornaments

These quick and adorable DIY birdseed ornaments make a great homemade gift for fall, winter, and the holiday season.

With detailed steps and video tutorials, these homemade birdseed ornaments make easy crafts for kids.

Hanging on the ribbon, they make a cute decoration for your garden, and your backyard birds will love them!

Birdseed ornaments – How to make DIY bird feeder ornaments

My parents are in their eighties, and it is not easy to develop a gift they would enjoy. These birdseed Christmas ornaments were a great success. Their garden is full of wild birds and my parents enjoyed watching them eating ornaments outside through the window. I’ve made these ornaments recipe a couple of times and I am sure they would make any bird lovers in your life happy as they attract a wide variety of birds.

Other DIY gifts you want to try:

Rosemary salt

Beard balm recipe

Christmas spice soap

I have heard that feeding the birds continuously throughout the year has resulted in more chicks and an overall increase in bird numbers. This is certainly a positive development. Experts say that one can feed birds all year; however, birds’ requirements change with the season.

In the spring, birds need bugs and caterpillars to feed their young chicks, whereas, in the cold winter months, they need food that is high in fat, like seeds. Thus these DIY cookie cutter birdseed ornaments are ideal bird food for the fall and winter months.

If you wondered what to feed ducks at the park, these easy-to-make DIY birdseed ornaments can be a great option.

Bird Seed Ornaments Ingredients

• sunflower seeds
• ground corn kernels
• sesame seeds
• soaked raisins
• flex seeds
• quinoa
• soaked raisins
• three packet gelatine mixture
• one cup of cold water

How to make birdseed ornaments

Making these birdseed ornaments is easy if you follow this step by step tutorial. Alternatively, watch the quick video.

prepare bird feeder ornaments mixture

This birdseed ornament recipe starts with soaking raisins overnight or at least for 2 hours in water

Ground corn kernels in the grinder on a coarse setting. Alternatively, use a blender or hammer with corn kernels in the zip lock. Whole corn kernels can also be used but be eaten by larger birds (jays or turkeys)

Mix sunflower seeds, ground corn kernels, sesame seeds, flex seeds, soaked raisins, and quinoa into a bowl

Prepare gelatine mixture

Pour the water into a medium-size saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Bring it to a simmer, constantly stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool the mixture for about 2 minutes.

Combine gelatine with seeds

Stir in one cup of your seed mixture until all dried ingredients are completely coated in the gelatin mixture.

Prepare a baking tray and cookie cutters

line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper

to ensure a smooth release of the birdseed ornaments, you can spray the inside of the cookie cutters with baking spray or apply coconut oil around the sides of the cookie cutters. Place cookie cutters of choice on the baking sheet. You can also spray the paper as well to prevent the warm ornaments from sticking.

Form the DIY ornaments

Fill each cookie cutter with a birdseed mixture using the back of the spoon. Press down tightly until the ornaments, and all the edges of the shapes are full. Once your cookie cutters are filled, use a small piece of parchment paper to pack the seed mixture into the mold gently. Insert a skewer into each ornament to create a hole for the ribbon. Make sure the hole goes all the way through.

Dry and unmould the bird ornaments.

Allow the ornaments dry for several hours or overnight.

Once dried thoroughly, gently press the ornaments out of the cookie cutters.

Press a Straw Into the Ornament

Cut straws into 3-inch pieces and press the straw into the top of the birdseed-filled cookie cutter. Make sure the hole goes all the way through the mixture. Leave the straw in the ornament and allow to dry for 3 to 4 hours. Once the ornament has hardened, you can easily remove them along with the mold. Just gently push it out with your fingers.

Take Out the Straws and Remove the Ornaments

Once the birdseed ornaments have dried, take out the straw and carefully remove the ornaments from the cookie cutters. Allow hardening overnight by putting them in the freezer. Hang the ornaments with a ribbon or twine. 

The recipe makes approximately 16 ornaments deepening on the sizes of the cutters you use.

Helpful Birdseed Ornaments Tips

• If the mixture cools down too much, you can always re-warm it on the stovetop for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the gelatin is liquid again.
• If the mixture is too liquid, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the liquid firms up enough that it won’t leak out from under the cookie cutters.
• Do not let the bowl sit in the fridge for more than 10 minutes, as it will become too hard, and the ornaments will and the ornaments will end up crumbly.

Tips for hanging your birdseed ornaments

Try to hang them somewhere close to other branches so that the birds have somewhere to perch while eating.

If you find that things are getting pretty messy, you can always make a square block of this same birdseed and tallow mixture to insert into a suet cage.

Place some decorations closer to your house and others further away if you have a large property. This will give the birds the opportunity to choose how close they want to be to your home.

In the case of a smaller property or backyard, these homemade bird seed ornaments can be hung from low-hanging branches near a building.

Those living in a city are not exempt from the joys of attracting birds. Birdseed ornaments can be hung on balconies or overhangs close (but not too close) to a window.

Is Gelatin Safe for Birds?

Gelatin is a protein that is derived from the collagen of animals. It is commonly used as a food additive and can be found in many products, such as Jell-O and marshmallows. While it is safe for birds to eat gelatin, it can cause problems if the birdseed ornaments are not made correctly. If the Ornaments are not dried properly, they can mold and become a health hazard for birds. If you are going to use gelatin in your birdseed ornaments, make sure to dry them thoroughly before putting them in your feeder.

How Do You Store Homemade Birdseed Ornaments?

To store homemade birdseed ornaments, place them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Gelatin-based birdseed ornaments can last for many years if stored properly in an airtight container to keep them fresh. If you plan to hang the ornaments outside, make sure they are well-sealed so that moisture does not get in and ruin the bird seed.

How do you get bird seeds to stick together?

To make birdseed stick together, we are using natural gelatin. When mixed with water gelatine make a natural glue that holds the ornaments together. Alternatively, you can use corn syrup that can also hold the seed mixture however isn’t healthy for birds.

how to make bird seed ornaments without gelatin

To replace sticky gelatin in this recipe, you can use corn syrup or flour instead. To make birdseed ornaments with flour, you will need the following supplies: bird seeds, flour, water, cookie cutters, and a straw. First, mix the flour and water to form a dough. Add bird seeds to make a mixture that you fill cookie cutters with. Once you have your shapes cut out, poke a hole in the top of each one with a straw and hang them up for the birds to enjoy!