Why is this a difficult question? Because, there are as many bird feeders plans in existence as there are birds! Ok, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one.

So here is the situation, you found some free bird feeder plans, and you're not sure which ones to use…stop right now and answer this question…what species of bird are you trying to attract?  Haven't considered that question? I don't care how beautiful your project turns out, you simply will not attract hummingbirds if your birdfeeders hold seed!

Different species of birds have distinct feeding habits, and in order to attract a particular species you must select birdfeeder plans with those habits in mind.  Have no doubt that whatever design you use you will attract birds…but don't be disappointed if your wild bird feeders attract a less desirable flock than you originally anticipated.

As anyone who has ever hung a birdfeeder will tell you, if you're going to feed birds…you're also going to feed squirrels!  Squirrel proof birdfeeder plans exist, but apparently nobody bothered to inform the squirrels of this point.  Some designs do seem to slow them down a bit, but I have not yet found the 100% squirrel proof bird feeder.  I'm fairly certain that if you hung a feeder on the North Pole, by 6:00 a.m. the next morning there would be a squirrel sorting through it for the choicest morsels. Save yourself the torment, and learn to enjoy their company!

Walk into any store that sells it, and sitting next to the bird seed you will find a dizzying array of manufactured birdfeeders.  Call me old fashioned, but it just seems that wooden bird feeders fit in better with the ecosystem, and the general ideology of feeding birds, than some mass produced piece of colorful plastic.

So, decide which species of bird you'd like to see more of, grab an appropriate set of homemade bird feeder plans, and build a wooden birdfeeder that both you and the birds will enjoy for many years to come.