When it is difficult for birds to find insects, suet is great wild bird nutrition. This article is intended to help those who are new to the hobby of feeding birds, or maybe you’ve always purchased wild bird seeds and you want to start making homemade, healthy bird food.

Suet Cake Recipes

Suet will attract a variety of birds. Suet can be made without a recipe; simply, take a binding agent (solid fat) and add extra ingredients. Choose items that you have around the house, like fruit and nuts. Although not necessary, birds seem to love peanut butter in the suet. If you are new to making wild bird food, prepare the basic recipe.

Basic Suet Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups rendered suet (lard, bacon drippings are good substitutes)
• 1 cup of peanut butter (any brand or type)
• 2 cups of peanut hearts or peanuts (any kind)

  Method

1. Heat the fat on the stove. If you get suet (beef fat) from a butcher, heat it for an hour and a half until all the liquid leaches out and strain. Otherwise, heat the bacon drippings or lard.
2. Remove from the stove and add peanut butter.
3. Stir and add any other ingredients of your choosing. I always add some commercial bird seeds and peanuts. Look around the kitchen and add any of the ingredients listed below.
4. Press the mixture into muffin tins, old commercial suet containers, loaf pans or square containers
5. Refrigerate or freeze, until required

Extra Suet Ingredients for Wild Bird Nutrition

Add any of the following ingredients to your suet. Use up leftover ingredients in the house or experiment with different foods to see what items are popular with different species of birds.

• bird seed
• crushed egg shells (for calcium and grit for digestion)
• raisins
• currants
• nuts (any kind)
• day-old bread
• day old baking
• oatmeal
• cornmeal
• cranberries
• crushed biscuits
• coconut (great to use up surplus supplies)
• old cereal
• sesame or pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds
• cookie and cracker scraps and crumbs
• popcorn
• dried fruit or slightly spoiled fruit

Check out our range of Quality Hand-Crafted New Zealand made Bird Feeders

There are many commercially prepared suet cakes and bells available. However, making suet cakes and loaves can save money and use up leftover ingredients in your house. There is also great pride in making preservative-free wild bird food. I am always amazed at how fast a fresh batch of my suet attracts the birds.

During the winter months, many people do not realize how greatly birds struggle during these brutal months. If cold, blustery days are not enough for them to endure, long, cold nights pose greater harm and stress. The natural summer and autumn food supply has either been eaten or has died or frozen. Also, insects have passed on a new generation of larvae inactive until spring. Therefore, foraging can be especially testing for birds during a phase of extreme cold temperatures.

Consider purchasing a feeding station for your garden birds this winter!

Bird Feeding Year Round

I am a big fan of making sure our bird feeders at creative woodcraft are stocked year round. In winter it is critical that your birds have a steady diet of nutritious high-fat seeds. Providing black oil sunflower seeds can prove popular for a number of reasons. First, smaller birds can easily crack the outer shell to access the good stuff inside. Second, almost all our garden birds will eat black oil sunflower seeds. Third, this particular seed offers an easily-digestible high-energy food source. The high fat content will keep birds’ feathers in tip-top shape while also keeping their metabolism high. This helps them to stay warm on the coldest days and nights.

Providing a sufficient supply of water using correctly positioned bird baths is also critical for are garden birds during the winter months.

Springtime presents another need for regular nutritious meals. Most birds are busy finding nesting sites and mates this time of year. Once that is accomplished, the real work begins. Laying eggs, hatching them and then feeding all those hungry babies. Good food sources equal healthy birds and bird populations.

In the summertime I cut back on the amount of seed I put out, allowing birds to forage and to clean the air of trillions of insects, as well as eating seeds that bud in the weeds, and enjoying the sweet berries and the seeds. Although summer feeding is common, providing water is vital to the bird’s survival since harsh heat and little rain result in summer drought. Remember, food sources are very abundant, water sources are scarce. Therefore, a bird bath has a great benefit and is a valuable addition to your garden.

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the colors and the crunchy leaves, although I do not like raking them! This time of year some birds are preparing to move to warmer regions or climates. They need good nutritious food to send them on their way. It’s a long journey, and they will need lots of energy to reach their destination.

In addition to black oil sunflower seeds, I often add treats like day old baked goods, fruits that may be bruised but are still good, berries, grapes, pumpkin seeds, raisins, peanuts, orange halves, and the waxeyes love to feed on a banana placed in a fruit feeder. And if you have a great sunny spot in your garden, consider planting sunflowers. Your birds will relish picking the seeds from the ripened seed heads in late summer. Their antics are fun to watch as well.

Providing nutritious black oil sunflower seed year round is a good way to keep your birds healthy. They will return year after year to your feeding stations. As a reward to you they will help keep your trees, shrubs and garden plants free of insect pests. Plus you will benefit from their beauty and lovely bird songs!

I get such a kick out of seeing what birds are at my feeders each morning when I look out and go for my walk. They are so energetic and beautiful, they always lift my spirits. And that’s a great way to start the day!