DIY Bird Sound Amplifier (Using a Salad Bowl!)

Want to hear more birds without buying expensive birding equipment? This simple DIY bird sound amplifier takes just a few minutes to put together using items you may already have at home.

We were surprised by how much easier it was to pick out individual bird songs...and our kids thought the whole experiment was hilarious.

What You'll Need

• A large plastic salad bowl

• A small Bluetooth microphone

• Tape, Velcro, or a simple mount to secure the microphone inside the bowl

• A PVC pipe or dowel (optional, to hold the bowl higher)

• A bird identification app like (the free!) Merlin Bird ID

  
  

How to Build It

1. Attach the Bluetooth microphone inside the center of the salad bowl. We used a binder clip to attach the mic to the lip of the bowl.

2. Mount the bowl to a PVC pipe or another handle if you'd like extra reach. We used clamps to attached the PVC to the bowl.

3. Pair the microphone with your phone.

4. Open your favorite bird identification app and start listening!

   

   
   

The bowl helps collect and direct sound toward the microphone, making distant bird songs easier to hear.

Tips

• Visit early in the morning or around sunset when birds are most active.

• Point the bowl toward the area where you're hearing birds.

• Move slowly and stay quiet for the best results.

• Compare listening with and without the bowl...you might be surprised by the difference.

  
  

Why We Love It

This project is inexpensive, takes only a few minutes to make, and turns an ordinary evening in the backyard into a fun nature adventure. It's also a great way to introduce kids to birding without needing any specialized equipment.

Sometimes the best adventures really do start with stuff you have around the house!