We have shared many different homemade bird feeder ideas over the years. A bird feeder is a simple way to invite wildlife into your backyard. Whether you want to feed the birds in the cold of the winter or in the heat of the summer - our homemade birdseed wreath is a simple option to make. Check out all of our creative DIY wreath ideas.

title "how to make a birdseed wreath" with image of a large birdseed wreath wrapped with blue ribbon resting on wooden table.

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We live in the city. Even in our busy urban neighborhood, there are many birds and little critters that stick around during the winter months. So, when the snow is on the ground it is a great time to find ways to feed the birds.

We have made cookie cutter birdseed ornaments in the past, but I've always wanted to try making one of those BIG birdseed wreaths that I see in the stores. I was afraid it would be difficult to make...but you know what...it is easy. I even share an extra tip to make it pretty much foolproof. My biggest fear was, how the heck was I going to get the wreath out of the bundt pan? I've got a trick for that!

How to Make a Birdseed Wreath

4 cups of wild birdseed
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
1 gelatin pack
3 tablespoon light corn syrup
oil spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil or sunflower oil
½ cup warm water
bundt pan
parchment paper

What birdseed to use to make a birdseed wreath

Begin by making sure that you have birdseed that is appropriate for the birds where you live. Read the label on the birdseed bag to see what birds the feed is for. When purchasing the birdseed, be sure to purchase wild birdseed, not birdseed for tropical/pet birds. For the birdseed wreath, it works best when using birdseed that has a good mix of small and large seeds. You want to try and attract a variety of birds to the feeder. If you are unsure of which seed to buy, check at your local garden center. Most garden centers have a section dedicated to birdseed and birdfeeders. Once you have your birdseed, you are ready to begin.

rubbing olive oil into bundt pan for birdseed wreath

The first step is coating your bundt pan with oil. I didn't have any cooking spray, so I dipped a cloth into some olive oil and rubbed it into the bundt pan. Seed oils and olive oil are best for this job. While only a small amount will be ingested by the birds, you still need to be safe with your oil choice. Be sure to get into every little nook and cranny...it will pay off when you try and remove the wreath.

Tip for removing birdseed wreath from bundt pan easily

Now, here's a little extra insurance that the wreath will pop out easily. Place a strip of parchment paper in the bundt pan. Make sure the parchment paper is long enough to hang over both the inside and outside of the pan. Wait and see how it helps you later!

Now let's make the birdseed mixture. Whisk together the gelatin and the warm water in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Once the gelatin has been dissolved, it is time to add the corn syrup. Whisk until you have an ooey-gooey paste. This is the glue that will bind together your bird seed.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and the birdseed. Pour the birdseed and flour mixture into the glue. Dump about half of the birdseed.

bird seed going into metal bowl with gelatin and a wooden spoon

Use a large spoon to mix the glue through the birdseed. Be sure to thoroughly coat all the birdseed and then dump in the rest of the birdseed. Keep mixing. A better mix will hold your wreath together better. Once the birdseed is thoroughly mixed it is time to pour it into the bundt pan.

birdseed in a bowl mixed with gelatine for wreath

Use a spoon to scoop it into the pan and firmly press it into the pan as you go. Press the birdseed on top of the parchment paper strip.

wet birdseed mixture going into bundt pan for wreath

Once all of the birdseed is in the bundt pan, press all around. Set the wreath aside to dry. Place it in a cool spot for 12-24 hours. Overnight worked for us. You will know it is dry when you press your fingers into the birdseed and it feels firm and dry.

pressed birdseed into bundt pan for bird feeder wreath with wooden spoon beside the bundt pan

Here is where the parchment paper strip will come in handy. To remove the birdseed wreath, gently pull on the parchment paper strip. This will pop the wreath loose. When you pop the wreath out of the pan, it may not be totally dry. That's okay. Place it on a cooling rack and let it sit and dry completely.

birdseed wreath bird feeder dried in bundt pan - hand removing the birdseed wreath from the pan

hand holding birdseed bird feeder wreath with ribbon wrapped around it

Now that the wreath is dry and hard, wrap a piece of ribbon around the wreath. The ribbon needs to be long enough to hang it up.

diy bird seed wreath hanging on trellis outsidt

Where to hand a birdseed wreath?

When it comes to hanging up the wreath you will need a branch that is quite strong. The wreath is quite heavy. I found a nice sheltered spot to hang the wreath on our tree. It is best if the wreath is surrounded by branches for the birds to sit on and eat.

birdseed wreath hanging outside with cardinals on it

The wintertime is a great time to make a birdseed wreath. Birds are looking for food and it can be scarce. Realistically, our wreath won't just be for the birds. I'm sure that plenty of squirrels will enjoy chomping on the seeds. That's fine by me.

This picture is what I hope to see...cardinals, well any kind of bird, eating our bird seed wreath! You could easily use this recipe to make any size bird feeder. Like our hanging heart birdseed ornaments.

A birdseed wreath would be a lovely gift to make and share at Christmastime. Everyone loves to feed the birds.

hand holding a diy birdseed wreath on a wooden tabletop

How to Make a Birdseed Wreath

Yield: 1-14inch wreath

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Total Time: 1 day 25 minutes

Learn how to make a birdseed wreath with our easy recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Materials

4 cups of wild birdseed
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
1 gelatin pack
3 tablespoon light corn syrup
oil spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil or sunflower oil
½ cup warm water

Tools

bundt pan
parchment paper

Instructions

The first step is coating your bundt pan with oil. I didn't have any cooking spray, so I dipped a cloth into some olive oil and rubbed it into the bundt pan. Seed oils and olive oil are best for this job. While only a small amount will be ingested by the birds, you still need to be safe with your oil choice. Be sure to get into every little nook and cranny...it will pay off when you try and remove the wreath.
Now, here's a little extra insurance that the wreath will pop out easily. Place a strip of parchment paper in the bundt pan. Make sure the parchment paper is long enough to hang over both the inside and outside of the pan. Wait and see how it helps you later!
Now let's make the birdseed mixture. Whisk together the gelatin and the warm water in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Once the gelatin has been dissolved, it is time to add the corn syrup. Whisk until you have an ooey-gooey paste. This is the glue that will bind together your bird seed.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and the birdseed. Pour the birdseed and flour mixture into the glue. Dump about half of the birdseed mixture into the bowl.
Use a large spoon to mix the glue through the birdseed. Be sure to thoroughly coat all the birdseed and then dump in the rest of the birdseed. Keep mixing. A better mix will hold your wreath together better. Once the birdseed is thoroughly mixed it is time to pour it into the bundt pan.
Use a spoon to scoop it into the pan and firmly press it into the pan as you go. Press the birdseed on top of the parchment paper strip
Once all of the birdseed is in the bundt pan, press all around. Set the wreath aside to dry. Place it in a cool spot for 12-24 hours. Overnight worked for us. You will know it is dry when you press your fingers into the birdseed and it feels firm and dry.
Here is where the parchment paper strip will come in handy. To remove the birdseed wreath, gently pull on the parchment paper strip. This will pop the wreath loose. When you pop the wreath out of the pan, it may not be totally dry. That's okay. Place it on a cooling rack and let it sit and dry completely.
Now that the wreath is dry and hard, wrap a piece of ribbon around the wreath. The ribbon needs to be long enough to hang it up.