Bird Crafts

Add a fun, personal touch to a school locker with the birds of a feather locker mirror. This bird craft project is so fun and simple to do, you'll want to make one for all your friends' lockers.

Customize your locker mirror by experimenting with feathers of different sizes and colors.

You can also try working with mirrors in different shapes and sizes -- you might find that this bird craft project looks great in your bedroom, hallway, or other spots in your home.

The birds of a feather locker mirror also makes a creative handmade gift. Download the birds of a feather locker mirror craft as a PDF to get started.

What You'll Need:

Tools:

How to make the birds of a feather locker mirror craft:

Step 1: Go through your feathers and arrange how you like them around the mirror. Be sure to vary the colors. Also, starting from the top, use smaller feathers and have them increase in size going to the bottom.

Step 2: Glue the feathers to the mirror.

Step 3: Download and print the pattern onto white paper. Using a black pen, make a pink and a purple bird.

Step 4: Glue the birds to the top of the mirror, slightly overlapping them. Glue a feather to each bird's wing position.

Step 5: Glue the magnets on the back of the mirror. Depending on how heavy your mirror is, you may want to use more or fewer magnets.

The bird craft in the next section has strings attached -- in a good way. Keep reading to learn how to make the flapping bird craft.

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Time flies when you're making the flapping bird craft. This bird craft project is so much fun, you'll want to make a whole flock of them. You can make a dove, flamingo, eagle, parrot -- or any bird you might fancy.

What You'll Need:

How to do the flapping bird craft:

Step 1: Draw a bird body and two wings on the foam core board. Cut out the pieces with a craft knife.

Step 2: Color the foam pieces with markers to make a dove, flamingo, eagle, or parrot.

Step 3: Poke two holes in the side of the bird body. Poke two holes at the end of each wing, the same width apart as the two holes on the bird body. Poke two more holes about 1/3 of the way down each wing.

Step 4: To connect the wings to the body, thread a piece of fishing line through one end hole of one wing. Continue threading the fishing line through one hole on the bird body and on through to an end hole on the other wing.

Step 5: Bring the ends of the fishing line together and tie a knot. Repeat for the other end hole on the wings.

Step 6: Thread a piece of fishing line through each wing hole, and knot the end. Tie the other ends of each fishing line to the dowel. To hang the bird, tie a line from one end of the dowel to the other.

Step 7: To make the pull string, poke a small hole at the bottom of the bird body. Cut a 10-inch piece of fishing line. Thread it through the bottom hole. Thread a small bead on the end of the line. Tie a knot under the bead to secure it. Pull the line to flap the wings.

Add a charming touch to your garden or house plants with the flyaway plant pokes craft. Keep reading to learn how to make this bird craft.

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Make the flyaway plant pokes craft and you'll have lively, lovely handmade birds mingling with the real birds that visit your garden.

Personalize your plant pokes with your own color and pattern choices -- the sky is the limit. Download and print the flyaway plant pokes craft pattern as a PDF to get started.

What You'll Need:

How to make the flyaway plant pokes craft:

Step 1: Download and print the pattern. Use the cardinal pattern to cut out two cardinal bodies and two cardinal wings from red craft foam. Repeat with the bluebird pattern and blue craft foam.

Step 2: Glue the body patterns together, leaving a 1-inch opening in the bottom. Lightly stuff the inside of the foam birds with fiberfill. Poke a dowel inside the opening, and glue closed.

Step 3: Glue the wings to each side of the birds' bodies. Paint the beaks yellow. Use the end of the paintbrush to add white dots on the body and wings of the bluebird.

Paint a group of three small yellow dots on the body and wings of the cardinal. Draw eyes on both birds with a black marker.

Step 4: Bend the plastic-coated wire around each bird's neck into the shape of a bow. Poke the end of the sticks into a plant.

Keep reading to discover a unique yet timeless use for bird feathers. Learn about the nature's pen craft in the next section.

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Make a quill pen from a bird feather -- it's surprising how well the quill pen writes, and how fun it is to make.

You may find it hard to believe, but 200 years ago, quill pens were the most popular way to write. Writing with a quill pen can be a little tricky, but you'll get the hang of it with a little practice

What You'll Need:

How to make the nature's pen craft:

Step 1: Buy a feather at a crafts store. It should have a stout quill and be about 10 inches long.

Step 2: Soak the feather in warm soapy water for several minutes. Then rinse the feather and let it dry.

Step 3: Use scissors to trim off the bottom two inches of feather from both sides of the quill. Then cut the end of the quill to a point.

Step 4: Use a straight pin to gently clean out the inside of the quill. Be very careful not to crack or break the quill. Finally, ask an adult to cut a small slit in the point of the quill.

Step 5: To use your quill pen, dip the end in ink. The hollow quill will hold a little ink. Blot extra ink on a piece of old newspaper before you write.

Dress up your window with a colorful, cheerful parrot perched atop a swing. Move on to the final section to learn about the sitting pretty parrot craft.

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Have you aways dreamed of having a pet parrot? The sitting pretty parrot craft is perfect for you.

This perfectly pretty parrot hangs in your window, ready to swing and sing along with you at a moment's notice.

The sitting pretty parrot craft is great for any decor -- its vivid colors and cheerful expression will brighten up the look of any room.

What You'll Need:

How to make the sitting pretty parrot craft:

To make the swing:

Step 1: Bend a yellow chenille stem in half. Twist the center to make a small circle.

Step 2: Cut a 3-inch piece from the brown chenille stem. Twist the ends of the yellow chenille stem from Step 1 around each end of this piece. Bend both sides of the yellow chenille stem so they curve slightly.

Step 3: Cut the remaining yellow chenille stem into six 2-inch pieces. Thread one piece through the small circle at the top of the swing; twist the ends together to form a circle.

To make the parrot:

Step 1: Glue the two red poms together.

Step 2: Cut two bumps from the red chenille stem. Bend each bump to form a teardrop; pinch the ends together. Glue these wings between the two red poms, directly across from each other.

Step 3: Cut a 3/4-inch piece from the orange bump stem, then trim off and discard most of the thin end. Glue the thick end to the center of the top pom so it sticks out, creating a beak. Let dry, then slightly bend the end of the beak down.

Step 4: Glue the wiggle eyes above the beak.

Step 5: Cut two 1-inch pieces from the thin part of the orange bump stem. Glue them to the bottom of the lower pom. Let dry.

To attach the parrot to the swing:

Step 1: Place the swing on your work area. Place the parrot in the center of the swing, making sure the legs cross over the brown perch of the swing and the red pom body touches the perch.

Step 2: Bend the legs so they wrap around the perch and poke back into the red pom. Glue the ends to the red pom and the perch. Let dry. If the parrot doesn't sit straight in the perch, add a bit more glue where the red pom meets the brown stem.

Step 3: Glue the craft feathers to the bottom of the pom behind the orange chenille stems.

Step 4: Stick the suction cup's hook through the top link of the yellow chain, and hang the parrot up to swing.

Your sitting pretty parrot craft is finished. Place it near a window and watch it cheer up your room.

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Help the birds in your neighborhood quench their thirst by completing the thirsty birds craft.

In hot weather, the usual sources of water may evaporate or run dry. In cold weather, these same water sources may freeze. Help birds by putting water out for them.

What You'll Need

How to make the thirsty birds craft:

Start with a plastic milk jug with the top cut off. Put tape around the rim to cover the sharp edge. Make sure the container is shallow enough that small birds can drink out of it.

In summer, refill containers often to offset evaporation. In winter, go out every morning. If ice has formed in the container, break it up and add more water if needed.

Remember: Water in small, shallow containers will freeze more quickly than water in large, deep containers. If water is scarce, your "drinking fountains" will attract many other animals in addition to birds. At dawn and dusk, stand back at a safe distance and watch them.

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