Soda Bottle Bird Feeder

Made in USA

easy to use and the squirrels fall off

I purchased the Channel Craft - Soda Bottle Bird Feeder in April 2013 and did not install it since I only feed birds during the winter months. After reviewing all comments about this product I came to the following conclusions:1. I agree with one purchaser that additional drain holes for rain should be drilled in the bottom of the unit. I drilled 4 holes on the bottoms of each side of the feeder. The hole size is the same as the side drain holes that come with the unit. This will ensure efficient draining of water which in turn will keep any seeds from potential fungus or rot.2. This product is supposed to work with a typical 2 liter soda bottle. Every 2 liter soda bottle that I have seen has a plastic security ring below the bottle cap. If this security ring is not removed, you CANNOT screw your soda bottle into the bird feeder. Using a sharp utility knife, carefully cut into the security ring until it breaks free of the bottle. Do not cut into the plastic bottle.3. The manufacturer shows this product mounted to some kind of vertical wall - I do not recommend this since almost any squirrel can climb a wall and attack the feeder. This feeder should be hung. The feeder should be at least 5' above the ground and 5' from any side structure. This will stop squirrels from jumping at the feeder.4. To hang my soda bottle bird feeder I used 12 gauge electrical wire from some old Romex electrical cables that I had. You want to use one of the insulated wires (black or white) for your hanger. Drill two holes (9/64") opposite each other near the bottom sides of the bottle (you could also "melt" a hole using nail heated in a flame). The hole should just be big enough for the wire to pass through. Once you have your two holes. Cut 12 inches of wire and bend it in a U-shape. Then bend 1 inch "V" ends in the wire. Push these ends into your two holes. You should now have a strong hanger for your soda bottle bird feeder.5. I have found old shoe laces as the ideal hanging material for this feeder. Many shoe laces are close to 3' in length and that is a good length to hang a bird feeder. The shoe lace should attach to the bird feeder hanger wire as well as to its top support via a spring clip (a carabiner). Tying directly to the feeder means constant untying and tying every time you want to refill the feeder. For my top support I use a eyebolt screwed into the underside of an elevated patio deck.6. To keep squirrels from crawling down your shoe lace to your bird feeder, you need to install a "teeter-totter." Find a large diameter plastic cap from a food container (I used the plastic cap from a Maxwell House coffee container). Drill a big enough hole in the center so it can slide easily down the shoe lace. Two inches from the top support, tie a series of knots in the shoe lace. Next push the shoe lace thru the plastic cap hole until it reaches your knot. The edges of the plastic cap should face down. Tie one or two knots above the plastic cap hole. Finally, tie the end the shoe lace to your spring clip and attach it to your top support. If a squirrel tries to crawl down your feeder, it will encounter plastic cap which will immediately give way as soon as the squirrel sets foot on it. The squirrel will not be able to figure out how to get around the plastic cap and give up.7. Depending how many times you feed birds with this feeder, I would make two soda bottles - this way one bottle would be in use while the other can be filled with seeds, capped and ready to go when the first bottle becomes empty.

Came across one of these at a yard sale. Picked up for $2. Went home, added an empty 2 liter bottle and had it hanging same day. Birds were on it within minutes. Went on Amazon to read reviews and see if available as I had never seen or heard of this before. Reviews were overwhelmingly good so I ordered another. Even at 8x my yard sale buy, this item is worth it. Made of all metal, no moving parts, easy assembly, easy cleaning. Several reviewers have reported having this item for 10 years. I have other feeders in my yard but these have easily become a favorite go to for the birds. Small birds are most at home with these but cardinals and jays have been able to manage. Grackles have the hardest time and that’s ok, as I really don’t want to attract them anyway. Though I have many squirrels they haven’t shown any interest except in the seeds that occasionally get knocked out as the birds feed. As other reviewers have observed the biggest downside is it can only serve 2 birds at a time. If anyone is interested in this item, find, and go to the video and review posted by James Somers. I have followed his easy tips and they work. Thank you James. This a great inexpensive entry level bird feeder. Great for seniors, youngsters, recyclers, and anyone wanting to see if they would like feeding birds.

I’ve battled the squirrels for years trying to get them to leave my bird feeders alone. A few years ago I gave up on my tree box feeders, relinquishing them to the squirrels and tried tube feeders for the birds. Didn’t work, the squirrels were all over them too. I’ve gone through several “squirrel resistant” feeders. Then I found one of these while on vacation a couple months ago. After looking it over and realizing it may be a good option to avoid the squirrels, I purchased one thinking it was worth a try. It’s been 6 weeks now and the squirrels don’t even try to use it. I’ve never even seen a squirrel trying to get on the soda bottle feeder. They must know it a waste of their effort being too slippery and no place for a squirrel to sit and eat. I was so pleased with the results I searched and found they were also available through Amazon. I ordered another one to attract more birds. I’m trying the second one with a smaller 24 oz bottle. Works just as well…The feeders are well designed with a sloped tray to the open end so the seed tends to fill the tray and drain holes to allow any rainwater to drain out. I’ve found even in heavy rains only the seed in the tray itself gets wet. Most of the time the birds will eat that little bit of wet seed before it starts to go bad. But, if need be, it’s a simple matter to use a small stick and push that little bit of wet seed out of the tray and have clean dry seed fill the tray again. A funnel makes filling the feeders a chinch.You could use several of these feeders and put different seed in each one, even use different colored bottles for varity...

I love that THIS is metal,unchewable, and won't get brittle in hot summer sun or winter's freeze. Had a yellow plastic model and it was chewed on by squirrels and eventually chipped away becoming unusable. Surprisingly the soda bottle was fine, so I'm thrilled with this metal attachment. Hopefully the birds will agree!

Best you can buy,