Don’t toss your jack-o’-lantern after Halloween. Turn it into a feeder for neighborhood birds!
What You Need
- hollowed-out pumpkin
- two wooden dowel rods
- birdseed
- strong twine or cord
What You Do
- Cut off the top of the pumpkin, as shown. (Ask an adult for help.)
- Poke a dowel into the pumpkin a few inches down from the top edge you just cut. Push it straight out through the opposite side of the pumpkin. Poke the second dowel through the pumpkin so it crosses just under the first dowel.
- Cut the twine into four equal lengths. Tie a strand to each dowel, as shown. Then tie the loose ends together in a large knot at the top.
- Fill the pumpkin with birdseed, and then hang it in your yard.
TIPS:- Make several small holes in the bottom of the pumpkin to let rainwater out.
- If you don’t want seeds to spill out of the pumpkin’s face, you can line the feeder with a sheet of newspaper before filling it.
- Make sure to only use firm, fresh pumpkins. If they are getting soft and squishy or moldy, composting them is a better idea.
- Be sure to only fill the pumpkin with enough seed for the wildlife to eat within a few days to prevent the seed from spoiling.
