How to Build a Window Birdfeeder

STEP 1: FORM THE BACKBOARD Start with the 1” x 6” x 10” board, which will form the backboard of the feeder. Measure along the width of the board, marking the center line. That should give you a roughly 10″ line with 2 ¾”-3″ on either side (precut wood may vary up to ½” in length). Using the angle square, mark a 45º line from the top of your center line, down and outward to the sides of the board. With your circular saw, cut along the lines you just drew to form the pitch of the roof.

STEP 2: CUT THE PORTHOLE Add a porthole to the backboard to make it easier to view birds using the feeder. First, measure upward along the center line, marking a point about 3-4″ from the bottom of the backboard. Using that mark as the center of the porthole, use a hole saw to cut the porthole.

STEP 3: MAKE THE TRAY To form the arms of the tray, glue two of the 5 ½” poplar pieces to the outside edges of the backboard, flush with the bottom. To the end of those arms, opposite the backboard, glue the 6 ½” piece. While the glue sets, secure the arms to the backboard and the front piece to the arms using the wire nails or wood screws.

STEP 4: ADD THE ROOF To one side of the pitch of the roof, glue the 5” piece so that the end continues the angle of the opposite pitch. To the other side, glue the remaining 5 ½” piece, overlapping the 5″ piece to finish the peak of the roof.

STEP 5: STAIN THE FEEDER While you’re waiting for the glue to dry completely, prepare a work area for painting, being careful to cover anything you don’t want stained in the immediate vicinity. Apply an even layer of stain to the entire bird house. For the feeder pictured above, we used Behr “Padre Brown” exterior wood stain.

STEP 6: KEEP EVERYTHING IN PLACE Once the stain has dried, nail the suction cups to the back of the bird house and glue the screen to the bottom of the tray.When the glue has dried, press the cups firmly against the window of your choice, fill with the tray with bird seed, and enjoy!

MATERIALS

1/2” x 2” x 4’ poplar board, cut into…
… 3 pieces at 5 ½”
… 1 piece at 6 ½”
… 1 piece at 5”
1” x 6” x 10” poplar board
1” wire brads nails or 1” small wood screws
Loctite PowerGrab
6” x 6” piece of aluminum window screen
suction cups
exterior wood stain (8oz)
bird food

TOOLS

drill
circular saw
2” paint brush
pencil
ruler
4” hole saw with arbor
angle square

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