How to Make Bird Feeders Out of Toilet Paper Rolls

You can make a working bird feeder from a toilet paper roll in about five minutes using peanut butter and bird seed. To make a bird feeder with paper, use a toilet paper roll as the holder and follow the steps below for coating, seeding, and hanging. If you want a twig-style feeder instead, you can build one using simple branches and a sturdy frame make a working bird feeder. If you want a quick, practical guide, use these steps for how to make a bird feeder post from a simple household tube. If you want a more eye-catching version, learn how to make a bird feeder stand out of wood instead. Roll the tube in peanut butter, coat it in seed, thread some twine through the top, and hang it from a branch. That's the core of it. If you want something a bit more substantial that lasts a day or two longer outdoors, you can use a lard-and-seed mix instead. Both versions attract chickadees, nuthatches, and sparrows reliably, and they cost almost nothing to make.

What you'll need before you start

The beauty of this project is that most of what you need is already in your kitchen. Here's what to gather before you begin:

• One or more toilet paper rolls (cardboard tubes from paper towels work too, just cut them down to about 4 inches)
• Peanut butter, smooth or chunky (unsalted, no added sweeteners is best, but standard peanut butter works fine)
• Lard or solid vegetable shortening (for the lard version)
• Mixed bird seed, black-oil sunflower seeds, or hulled sunflower seeds
• A butter knife or old spoon for spreading
• Twine, jute rope, or any sturdy string at least 12 inches long
• A pencil or chopstick for punching holes
• A shallow plate or baking tray to roll the tube in seed
• Optional: wax paper or a plastic bag to handle the finished feeder without making a mess

One note on peanut butter: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirms birds eat peanut butter readily, but avoid anything with xylitol (a sweetener in some natural brands) as it's toxic to wildlife. Plain peanut butter from any grocery store is fine. You don't need much, maybe a couple of tablespoons per roll.

Step-by-step: the classic peanut butter and seed feeder

This is the simplest version and perfect if you want to get something up today. The whole build takes under 10 minutes.

1. Take your toilet paper roll and use a pencil to punch two holes about an inch from one end, directly opposite each other through the tube.
2. Cut a piece of twine about 12 inches long and thread it through both holes so equal lengths stick out each side. Tie the two ends together in a knot above the roll to form a hanging loop. Make sure the knot is secure before moving on.
3. Use a butter knife to spread peanut butter generously all over the outside of the tube. Cover the full surface, getting into the natural texture of the cardboard so seeds have something to grip. Don't be shy, a thin coat means seeds fall off quickly.
4. Pour your bird seed onto a shallow plate or baking tray and roll the coated tube through the seeds, pressing gently so they embed into the peanut butter. Rotate the roll and keep pressing until the entire peanut-butter surface is covered in seed.
5. Pick up the feeder by the twine loop and check for bare patches. Dab a little extra peanut butter on any gaps and press more seed in.
6. Hang the feeder by looping the twine over a branch or hook. You're done.

That's really it. The Natural History Museum recommends the same basic approach: peanut butter first, then roll in seed until the coating is fully covered. NASA's Climate Kids version does the same thing and notes that the peanut butter is specifically what makes seeds stick rather than fall to the ground on the first gust of wind.

Step-by-step: the lard-and-seed version (better for cold weather)

The lard version takes a little more prep but holds up better in cool weather and gives birds a high-fat energy boost that's especially valuable in winter and early spring. Think of it as a homemade suet stick.

1. Punch your hanging holes and thread the twine first, exactly as in the peanut butter method above. Do this before you add any fat so your hands stay clean.
2. Gently melt about half a cup of lard in a small saucepan over low heat. You're not cooking it, just softening it until it's liquid. Remove from heat immediately once melted.
3. Stir in roughly a quarter cup of peanut butter (optional but it helps binding) and then mix in a generous cup of mixed bird seed, black-oil sunflower seeds, or a combination. You can also add oats, chopped unsalted peanuts, or dried mealworms. The goal is a thick, seedy paste.
4. Let the mixture cool until it's thick enough to hold its shape when scooped but still spreadable, roughly the texture of cold peanut butter. If you're in a hurry, put it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Use a butter knife or spoon to pack and press the lard-seed mixture all over the outside of the tube. Really work it in. You can also carefully stand the tube upright, seal one end with a piece of tape or pinch it closed, and pour the mixture inside the tube before it sets completely. This makes a fat cylinder of suet inside the roll.
6. Once coated (or filled), roll the tube through additional dry bird seed on a plate to add a final outer seed layer that birds will hit immediately.
7. Place the finished feeder on wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or leave it outside in cool weather for an hour, until the lard has fully solidified. This is important: a warm, soft feeder will slide off the tube or drip onto the ground.

Important safety note: use plain lard or solid vegetable shortening only. Avoid bacon drippings or any cooked meat fat, which can carry pathogens and go rancid quickly. Commercially available lard from the baking aisle is the right choice. A recipe from the Middle Fork Willamette resource calls for one cup of liquid meat fat (lard) mixed with seeds like sunflower, hemp, and pumpkin, which matches this approach well.

How to dry, set, and hang the feeder safely

The peanut butter version doesn't need any drying time. It's ready to hang immediately after rolling in seed. The lard version absolutely needs to set before you hang it, otherwise the mixture slides off the cardboard, seeds scatter on the ground, and you've wasted both food and effort.

For the lard feeder, 30 minutes in a refrigerator is usually enough. In temperatures below 45°F outside, you can skip the fridge and just leave it on a cool surface for an hour. You'll know it's ready when you can hold it horizontally and the coating doesn't sag or shift.

For hanging, thread the twine over a branch that has some flex to it (which makes it harder for squirrels to run out and grab the feeder). A branch that's at least 5 feet off the ground is ideal. The feeder should hang freely so it spins slightly in the wind, which birds don't mind but makes it a trickier target for squirrels. If you're hanging multiple rolls, space them a few inches apart so birds don't crowd each other out.

Which seed to use and what birds will show up

Black-oil sunflower seeds are the best all-around choice for this type of feeder. The shells are thin enough that small birds like chickadees crack them easily, and nearly every common backyard species will eat them. Hulled sunflower seeds (no shell) work even better because birds eat them faster and there's no shell debris on the ground.

A standard mixed bird seed with millet and milo works well too, especially for attracting sparrows, juncos, and doves. Avoid nyjer (thistle) seed for this feeder: the seeds are so fine that they fall straight through a toilet paper roll coating and end up on the ground rather than in a bird's beak.

If you want to attract bluebirds specifically, dried mealworms are worth adding to the mix. Project FeederWatch calls mealworms one of the only foods that reliably brings bluebirds in. Press a few into the peanut butter coating alongside your seed.

As for which birds you'll see: chickadees and nuthatches are almost guaranteed visitors, often within the first few hours. Titmice, house sparrows, house finches, and downy woodpeckers are very common too. The peanut butter-to-seed combination appeals broadly, so don't be surprised if you get a varied crowd.

Placement: how to keep squirrels (and other pests) from stealing everything

Placement is where most people go wrong with any feeder, and a toilet paper roll feeder is especially vulnerable because it's lightweight and easy to knock around. Squirrels are remarkably athletic: Mass Audubon notes they can jump six feet straight up and launch themselves to a feeder from ten feet away horizontally. That means a feeder hanging from a branch that's close to a fence, roof, or thick tree trunk is basically an open invitation.

Audubon Magazine recommends placing feeders at least 8 to 10 feet from anything solid, including trees, buildings, fences, and walls. Tufts Wildlife Clinic adds a specific distance to keep from brush piles, evergreen trees, and dense shrubs: at least 12 feet. Both recommendations exist for the same reason: squirrels use those structures as launch pads.

Beyond squirrels, North Carolina Wildlife notes that feeders can also attract raccoons, rodents, and bears. A toilet paper roll feeder is too small to concern a bear, but raccoons and rats will absolutely eat fallen seed off the ground. Clean up any dropped seed below the feeder regularly to avoid drawing them in.

• Hang at least 5 feet off the ground so cats and raccoons can't reach from below
• Keep the feeder at least 10 feet horizontally from any fence, trunk, building, or solid structure squirrels can launch from
• Position away from dense shrubs or brush piles within 12 feet
• Hang from a thin, flexible branch rather than a thick one squirrels can easily run along
• Avoid placing directly above a patio or deck where fallen seed and droppings become a nuisance

Maintenance, mold, and when to replace the feeder

Let's be honest: a toilet paper roll feeder is not meant to last weeks. The cardboard gets wet, softens, and eventually falls apart. That's normal and expected. Think of it as a single-use or short-use feeder that you make fresh every few days, which is actually a good thing because it forces you to refresh the food before it has a chance to go bad.

In dry weather, a peanut butter-and-seed feeder can last three to five days before birds pick it clean or the cardboard weakens too much. In wet or humid weather, that window shrinks to one or two days. The lard version holds up a bit better in cool dry conditions because the fat forms a mild moisture barrier, but once it rains, both versions need replacing.

Mold is the main health risk. The Minnesota DNR is direct about this: wet bird seed commonly develops mold and bacteria in wet weather, which can make birds sick. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service specifically warns that salmonella grows in moldy, wet seed. Check the feeder every day or two. If the seed looks dark, smells off, or the cardboard has gone soggy and seed is clumping in wet masses, take it down and replace it.

Common problems and quick fixes

• Seeds falling off immediately: your peanut butter layer was too thin. Redo it with a thicker coat and press seeds in firmly rather than just rolling gently.
• Roll splitting or collapsing: the tube got wet too fast, or you packed too much weight into it. Switch to a paper towel tube cut shorter, which is sturdier, or use two toilet paper rolls nested together.
• Lard mix not setting: your mixture was too warm when you applied it, or the ratio of fat to seed is off. Add more seed to stiffen the mix and refrigerate longer before hanging.
• No birds visiting in the first few days: birds need time to discover a new feeder. Be patient for 3 to 7 days, make sure the feeder is visible from open sky (not hidden in dense foliage), and try adding some seed to the ground nearby to draw birds in initially.
• Mold or clumping seed: replace the feeder immediately. Clean up any seed that fell to the ground below. The Minnesota DNR suggests sprinkling a thin layer of lime (about a quarter inch) on the soil beneath feeders to reduce bacteria buildup from droppings and old seed.
• Squirrels stripping the feeder in minutes: recheck your placement distances. If you're already at 10 feet from solid structures, try hanging the feeder from a longer, thinner cord so it swings more freely when a squirrel lands on it.

Because this feeder is made from recycled material and costs almost nothing to build, don't stress about replacing it frequently. Making a new one every few days is faster than cleaning a conventional feeder and ensures birds always have fresh food. If you want a sturdier DIY option, you can also learn how to make a bird feeder out of pallets. If you enjoy this kind of quick build, it's worth exploring other waste-material feeder options like plastic bottle or milk jug feeders that hold up longer in rain, or a more durable wood feeder if you want something that lasts a whole season. If you want a feeder that lasts even longer, a wood bird feeder is a great option.