How to Make a DIY Feeder Garland for Birds

String Together an Easy Bird Feeder Cranberry Garland

By Melissa Mayntz
Updated on 03/03/23
DIY bird feeder garland strung on a tree

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 15 - 45 mins
  • Total Time: 15 - 45 mins
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly
  • Estimated Cost: $5

Strands of popcorn and cranberries are quaint and rustic holiday decorations, and properly assembled, they can be beautiful and delicious edible string bird feeders. It's easy to create seasonal feeder garlands, and there is a wide range of birds that will happily celebrate the holidays with such treats.

Foods for the Garland

A variety of different foods can be strung to create an edible garland that birds will enjoy, but choose foods that are suitable for the exact birds in your yard. Cranberry garlands are popular, and fruit may add attractive spots of color to the garland. If no frugivorous birds are spending the winter in your area, however, berries or fruit pieces may end up rotting on the string long after other treats are consumed, and strings of nuts may be a better choice.

There are a variety of kitchen scraps birds can eat, and popular choices of treats for a bird feeder garland include:

  • Fresh, uncooked cranberries, blueberries, or other berries
  • Fresh grapes, either whole or cut in half
  • Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn, ideally air-popped
  • Soaked raisins, prune halves, apricots, or other dried fruits
  • Toasted whole-grain oat cereal (Cheerios or similar) without added flavors or sweetening
  • Whole-grain shredded wheat cereal squares without frosting or flavoring
  • Whole, in-shell peanuts with no salt or flavoring
  • Apple or orange chunks or slices
  • Dried orange slices or wedges
  • Small bits of semi-firm cheese, possibly cut into festive shapes
  • Stale or toasted whole-grain bread cut into shapes with cookie cutters

When planning an edible garland, always keep the birds' health and nutritional needs in mind, and use unhealthy foods sparingly. Rare treats can be fine for the birds, but avoid offering too many less nutritious foods that could lead to health problems. Similarly, no moldy or contaminated foods should ever be offered to birds.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Tapestry needle
  • Thimble (optional)
  • Awl (optional)

Materials

  • Yarn, string, ribbon, or twine
  • Food for the garland

Instructions

Materials needed to make a DIY bird feeder garland

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Making a bird feeder garland is as easy as stringing cranberries and other foods along a length of string, twine, or yarn and hanging it out for the birds to enjoy. With a bit of care, however, a garland can be even more attractive and useful.

  1. Cut the String

    Cut the string, twine, or floss to a suitable length. One long garland may be the most attractive, but smaller swags and loops can be easier to string and will not pose as great a tangle threat after the food is eaten. Smaller sections are also easier to replace as the feeder gets more popular.

    Cutting string with scissors

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  2. Sort Food into Piles

    Separate different foods into individual piles or bowls and discard scraps that are broken and cannot be strung for the garland. Rotten or otherwise unsuitable food for birds should also be properly discarded. Knowing the exact quantities of treats available can help you plan an attractive garland.

    Choosing ingredients for DIY bird feeder garland

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  3. String Food in a Festive Pattern

    String treats on the garland in a festive pattern, such as alternating different numbers of berries with popcorn or framing each cranberry with cereal loops. Longer patterns with more food choices can become elaborate, intricate decorations. Coordinate colors, textures, and shapes for even more visual interest.

    Tip

    Instead of string or yarn, use sturdy but flexible wire to create the garland, and shape it into a wreath, heart, bell, star, or another unique shape for more decorative emphasis. You could even create letters to make a festive message to hang on a tree or fence. Leave an extra loop of wire bare from treats for convenient hanging.

    The process of stringing the bird feeder garland with ingredients

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Hanging the Garland

Hanging a bird feeder garland in a tree or draping it around a feeding station will bring it to the attention of backyard birds quickly. There are many other options, however, for using this tasty decoration to add color and beauty to a winter backyard. Use several layers of garland to create thicker swags from eaves, fences, or gutters, or wrap a longer garland around a deck or porch railing where birds can easily perch to peck at it. If you have opted for several smaller loops instead of one long garland, use them as quick and easy ornaments to decorate a delicious tree for the birds.

In addition to an edible garland, other delicious treats can be used to decorate a Christmas tree for the birds, including:

Putting many of these decorations together can turn an otherwise bland, bare tree into a popular feeding station as well as a unique and engaging holiday decoration. You can even decorate a snowman to feed birds nearby, creating an entire outdoor scene to serve as a seasonal buffet. Birds, squirrels, and other winter wildlife will be sure to celebrate the season with every bite they enjoy.

Hanging the bird feeder garland on a tree

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald