Various factors, especially the intensification of agriculture, mean that birds are finding fewer and fewer natural food sources. Many people are therefore concerned about supplementary feeding – especially in the cold winter months. According to NABU, bird lovers spend around 15 to 20 million euros a year on bird food. NABU points out that bird feeding does not usually reach those bird species that are really endangered. Tits and finches, for example, have stable or even growing populations. However, NABU concedes that feeding is a special nature experience. Children and young people in particular would often find an introduction to bird conservation through this. We think that bird-friendly design of the home garden, e.g. with a bird hedge, is definitely a small step in the right direction. If you too would like to provide a feeding station for the birds in your garden, we show you here how to make a plastic-free holder for tit dumplings.
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Problematic plastic nets for tit dumplings
Feeding birds in your own garden or even on your balcony is quick, easy and inexpensive with titmouse dumplings. However, they are usually wrapped in a plastic net. On the one hand, this is of course an environmental problem. Even if a small net in itself does not make such a big impact, the sum of nets in thousands of gardens quickly leads to a large mountain of garbage. On the other hand, the nets can also be dangerous for animals. For example, it often happens that the nets are not disposed of properly and fall to the ground in the garden. There they are a source of danger for mice and other rodents, which can get tangled in them. It is also problematic when larger birds, such as magpies, grab the whole dumpling including the net. In this case, the nets end up somewhere in nature and become a potential danger there.
holder for tit dumplings – simply from garden cord or package tape
Our reader Carola consciously pays attention to avoid plastic waste. Therefore, she makes tit dumpling nets herself from garden twine. I have slightly modified her wonderful instructions for a self-made net in macramé technique. Complicated macramé knots are not used. It takes about half an hour to make one net. The lengths, colors and threads can be varied as you like.
What you need
- about 9 m of cord or parcel tape (you should use a firm cord for the tit dumpling holder. I just used a cotton cord from the craft store. Sisal, jute and thick parcel string are also very suitable. The surface of the cord should be rough so the birds can hold onto it with their feet).
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Tit dumplings
And this is how it works
- Cut 6 threads in a length of about 140 cm.
- Put the threads on top of each other and fold them in half. This creates a loop at one end and at the other end there are now 12 threads (picture 1).
- Tie a large knot at the end of the loop. The loop knot should be large enough to hang over a branch.
- Hang the loop knot from a doorknob or loop it around a table leg to prevent it from slipping when knotting.
- Measure 30 cm from the large loop knot. Gather 2 threads at a time and knot. Do not pull too tightly so that the knot can be untied to shift position if needed. This creates a total of 6 knots, which should be about the same height (Fig. 2).
- Start the next row of knots about 3 cm apart: Tie one thread from the left knot and one from the right knot together (Fig. 3).
- Repeat this process 2 times until a stable basket for the titmouse dumpling is formed (Fig. 4 and 5). The distances between the staggered rows of knots should not be too large – 3-4 cm maximum. This makes it more difficult for squirrels, martens and jays to steal the tit dumpling.
- Place the tit dumpling in the net.
- Wrap the threads hanging down under the last row of knots with the tape used and knot them tightly so that the dumpling cannot fall out (Fig. 6).
holder for tit dumplings: Tips and inspiration
- Tits, sparrows, finches, siskins and robins watch their food source for a few days before they trust it. So be patient and watch anxiously to see who ventures to the new feeder first.
- Industrially produced titmouse dumplings often contain low-quality ingredients. Therefore, it is worth making tit dumplings yourself. You can find simple instructions for making birdseed here.
- Always hang the tit dumpling so high that cats can’t reach it.
- Another nice idea on how to feed waste-free is a homemade peanut necklace for birds.
- You can easily make a bird feeder out of an old milk carton.
- In our article on bird mortality you will find interesting facts about this sensitive topic. We have also compiled tips for you there on how you can make your garden bird-friendly.
