The more than 550 varieties of conifer trees produce a wide range of pine cones. From some merely 1 inch long to the famous 12 inch long sugar pine cone, the selection to choose from is great. Choose pine cones approximately 4 inches long for a group of children making the bird feeder project. White pine and spruce trees offer excellent pine cones for a bird feeder project. If the scales have not yet opened, bake the cones in an oven for 15 minutes at 130 degrees. Dr. Ombrello of the biology department at Union County College reports that pine cones spread their scales open when exposed to heat 130 degrees or higher. The open scales will give students more surface area to spread the adhesive and offering birds more seed to eat.
Choose a natural adhesive that birds can easily digest. Peanut butter is an economical choice. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources states that there is no evidence of birds choking on peanut butter. However, as birds have no salivary glands, they need water to help digest the thick peanut butter. Due to the prevalence of peanut allergies in children, it may be wise to have an alternative on hand. Bacon grease, beef kidney fat from a butcher store or shortening are all acceptable choices to adhere bird seed to the pine cone.
The beaks and digestive capabilities of various birds make certain seeds attract specific birds. For children, who are likely rookie birders, use a seed mix that will attract a variety of common back yard birds. A good choice includes black oil sunflower, millet and corn. Cardinals, wrens, chickadees, titmice, crossbills, nuthatches and juncos will all be attracted to a mix that includes these three staples.
Give each child a small notebook to set near the window from which he will watch his bird feeder. Encourage children to record a list of the birds that visit their feeder. Demonstrate how to use tally marks to keep track of the frequency of visits for each type of bird. Children can refer to bird books to help identify species they are unfamiliar with. Alternatively, instruct children to draw and color what the new bird looks like in the notebook.