A peanut butter bird feeder is great for attracting wild birds
including woodpeckers and other tree clinging birds.
I was shopping in my favorite wild bird store a few weeks ago and noticed a new bird feeder. It looked very much like two slabs of natural bark with a small slit in the middle. The slit seemed ideal for peanut butter or suet.
Woodpeckers can easily cling to the sides of the feeder and with their long bills and tongues they will have no trouble eating any treatsinside. This peanut butter bird feeder design makes it almostpest-proof. Starlings cannot cling to the sides to eat andsquirrels have trouble reachingthe food inside.
Whenever I see a new birdfeeder, I always think to myself... I can make that. So Idecided to try making this one.
The most challenging part of this project is finding the wood. I wasable to cut a few pieces from wood in my firewood pile. If youhave a sawmill near by, you may be able to purchase a couple of piecesof thin sliced, bark backed wood. These are often used for makingmulch, since they have no value as lumber.
Materials
Two pieces of trimmed bark slabsapproximately 6 X 12 inches
Four bolts with matching nuts (or wing nuts)
Plastic Spacers
Wood Shim
Wire or Chain for hanging
The length of the bolts is determined by the thickness of thewood and the size of the spacers you use. If you plan on using suetbird food you may want a larger opening than if you are usingpeanut butter.
Process
Step One:
Drill a hole in each corner of the pieces of wood. Hold the pieces ofwood together when drilling to be sure that the holes line up.
Step Two:
Slide the bolts through the holes in one piece of wood. Add a spacer toeach bolt.
Step Three:
Insert the bolts through the corresponding holes in the other piece ofwood. Lightly secure the two pieces of wood using the nuts, but do nottighten.
Step Four:
Insert the wood shim into one end of the peanut butter bird feeder.Then tighten the bolts.
Step Five:
Wrap wire around the bolts at the other end of the peanut butter birdfeeder to create a hanger.
Step Six:
Now stuff all of the spaces with peanut butter or suet. Hang your newbird feeder.
