Your pantry has everything you need to make a life saving feast for backyard birds. Making a high-energy food feast for them is super easy and will keep your visitors thriving all season long. With ingredients you probably already have, and some simple cooking, you can make this feast!

Why Help Birds This Winter

When winter descends, it can create a tough place for the birds to live and take shelter. Their normal food sources are no longer there as insects, seeds, and berries become covered and are frozen in the snow. There is a limited food supply available, and the birds that stay through the cold months, like cardinals, chickadees, and woodpeckers even humbugs in warmer winter areas, struggle to keep their bodies warm.

Small birds can lose as much as 10% of their body weight in a single cold night, and they need to eat high-fat foods to regain the calories needed to survive until morning. Your kitchen can supply food that small birds need to survive winter. Birds can rely on you to help them through the toughest times and provide food to support whole local populations, not just individual birds.

You won't have to worry about getting expensive materials or unique ingredients. What would normally cost you money when purchased can be made with some bird-safe pantry staples. Fulfilling bird food can be made with these pantry items. Making your own bird food allows you to exclude fillers, additives, and other questionable ingredients. Just pure energy!

Basic Pantry Easy Suet Recipes

Suet is the star of winter bird feeding. This high-fat food is easy to digest, and provides concentrated calories to birds when it is cold. While commercial suet cakes are fine, there are better options. Making homemade suet cakes allows you to customize your food for the target audience (species) visiting your yard.

Let’s start out with a simple base recipe. Combine 1 cup of lard or vegetable shortening with 1 cup of peanut butter. Heat them until they are easier to stir, and then add 2 cups of quick oats, 1 cup of cornmeal, and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Mix everything together, and then press the mix into muffin tins or small containers or mesh suet holders. Put them in the fridge to let them harden, and then you will have no-bake suet cakes that are ready to hang.

This simple formula will draw in woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice all at once. These birds understand good fat sources and will come back every day once they find your buffet. You can play around with the recipe to use what you have. Instead of peanut butter, use almond butter. Instead of wheat flour, corn flour can work. You can even add some raisins for extra appeal.

Making Your Own Suet Feeder Cakes

After you make your suet, you will need to hang it somewhere. A good cage feeder will protect your homemade cakes from the weather, while providing easy access to the birds. The tail prop feature is even more important—woodpeckers naturally brace with their tails against tree bark, and feeders that allow for this make them feel more at home and will keep them feeding for longer.

The Songbird Essentials Tail Prop Feeder is made of non-rotting, cracking, or fading recycled plastic. The vinyl-coated wire cage keeps your suet protected and gives birds a good grip. This design is loved by Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees because it mimics natural feeding positions among the trees.

If squirrels are raiding your feeders, a caged design allows access to smaller birds while keeping squirrels out:

The squirrel proof feeder by Kingsyard has 1.5 inch openings which allow Chickadees, nuthatches and downy woodpeckers to pass through but keeps squirrels and larger bully birds such as starlings out. It’s double suet capacity allows you to refill it less often during cold snaps. The weather guard roof will keep snow and rain off your suet, keeping it fresh for longer.

If you're making your own bird food to attract woodpeckers and other birds, you can use a pinecone for your bird food and woodpeckers and use a pinecone to attract birds that prefer vertical surfaces like woodpeckers. If you are pressed for time, you can use a softened peanut butter and smear it onto the tree bark for instant bird food without any prep time.

Bacon grease or meats fats with seasoning, salt, or preservatives should be avoided. Use plain lard or shortening, and keep it safe for your feathered guests.

Lustige Erweiterungen wie Saatkugeln und Rindenbutter

After you have learned about suet, you can get more creative with feed options that will make your yard look attractive and offer different types of feed to a variety of species.

Birdseed ornaments are fun, easy and effective bird feeders. To make them, mix one packet of unflavored gelatin with one-third cup of warm water. Once the gelatin is dissolved, add two cups of any type of birdseed and stir to coat the birdseed. Once coated, pour the mixture into cookie cutters on parchment paper and use a straw to make a hole at the top to create a place to hang the ornament. Once they are dry, place some twine in the hole and hang it to a tree. Snow-covered birdseed ornaments become a beautiful sight in the winter, snow-covered ornaments are sure to attract many birds such as finches, sparrows, and juncos, and will be pecked at all day.

Supplies for Seed Ornaments

Knox gelatin is the best to use when making gelatin ornaments because it dissolves well, sets solidly, and will not change the flavor of your ornaments. Also, the 32-pack gives you enough gelatin to make ornaments for the entire holiday season.

For your seed, premium blends with sunflower seeds and top quality nuts is best. Avoid cheap mixes with fillers, milo, and other items birds will ignore and toss on the ground.

Lyric Supreme has 12 premium ingredients and no fillers like sunflower seeds and peanuts. It attracts many different birds, from jays and cardinals to finches and chickadees! It makes bird food that birds will actually eat instead of just picking at it.

If you want an even stickier version, instead of using gelatin, use light corn syrup. For this, use a binding agent of three tablespoons of corn syrup mixed with a quarter cup of flour, then add two cups of seed. This creates a firmer ornament that holds up better in wet weather.

Bark butter is a new way to use suet, and it makes it spreadable! To make bark butter, combine equal parts of peanut butter and cornmeal with some flour to get a paste-like consistency. Spread your mixture onto tree bark, fence posts, and big branches. It sets up natural feeding stations that birds like nuthatches and brown creepers that forage on soft, feeding vertical foraging surfaces.

Don't forget the birds that eat fruit! You can hang apple slices, orange halves, or grape bunches on the branches. This will attract bluebirds, robins, and mockingbirds. Bluebirds and mockingbirds come to the area for fresh or dried fruit when insects aren't there. Another idea is to use cheerios or plain cereal. You can also use these to thread onto wire, and birds will really enjoy this activity.

Establishing and Continuing Your Bird Buffet

Where you put your feeders is important along with what offerings. Try to place feeders with a quick retreat for birds to cover. 10-15 feet from trees or shrubs would be ideal. Birds will feel safer making regular trips to the feeders with the cover to retreat to. Wide open spaces and dense cover for hiding blind spots to predators should also be avoided.

Placement of feeders is important. Hang suet cakes from branches at different heights, spread bark butter on different trees, and place seed ornaments where you can see them from your windows. Different species will feed at different levels. Options are appreciated by ground feeders such as juncos and sparrows, mid level feeders like chickadees, and high feeders like woodpeckers.

With food that is homemade, checking the freshness is important. A general rule of thumb is checking your offerings every few days. If you see mold, things that are discolored, or a smell that gives you concern, simply throw it out and replace it. Suet can go bad in winter if it is warm, and if you have wet seed ornaments, they can develop mold that is harmful to you. In general, if the homemade food is made while temperatures are below freezing, it will last longer, but problems can still arise and your vigilance can help to prevent this.

Rotate food sources and mix up a new batch of suet every week or two, replace seed ornaments as they are eaten, and replace bark butter when it rains and washes it away. This trained consistency gives birds a reason to check your yard frequently. You will likely see the same birds returning.

Fresh Water: The Essential Thing to Have in Winter

Water is as important as food, maybe even more. Drinking water is necessary for birds and so is water for keeping their feathers in good condition. If feathers are dirty or damaged, their insulating capability is compromised. This puts well-fed birds at risk for hypothermia.

Water streams freeze solid in cold weather leaving birds looking for alternatives. Birds will eat snow but snow is expensive to eat because they will have to spend energy to melt the snow. When it is cold, energy is lost quickly and the birds are already using energy to stay warm.

A heated birdbath or an ice-free shallow dish will substantially increase the number of bird visits. Water that does not freeze is a scarcity during the winter, so birds will be attracted to your location more than to food.

Thermostatic technology is used in the GESAIL heated birdbath, which only heats when necessary, so you won't have to worry about high electricity bills. The three mounting options (deck, ground, or hanging) allow you to place the bird bath wherever is most convenient. With a shallow design, it is safe for small birds and with the 75W heating element, it will keep the water ice-free even in single digit temperatures. You’ll see birds lining up to use this in cold weather!

If you can’t heat your baths, give the water a warm (not hot), refill a few times a day. Even warm water baths available for a few hours at a time can be helpful for birds. Position a water source close to feeders, but allow the birds to see and watch for predators while they drink.

What Not to Feed Wild Animals in Winter

The good intentions of people can be harmful in certain situations. One of the most problematic foods during the winter is bread. It is high in calories, but provides little nutrition and does not deliver the fat and protein the birds need. In the winter, bread is not ideal because birds lose energy digesting bread which does not fuel them.

Another frequent issue is rotten or spoiled seeds. Always clean feeders and throw out seeds that are wet, moldy, or has an unusual odor. Birds with weaker immune systems that are stressed by cold temperatures can get fatal respiratory infections from moldy seeds.

Never buy seed blends with fillers such as milo, wheat, or oats. These ingredients will be tossed aside by birds as they look for seeds they prefer. This creates waste and attracts rodents. Instead, buy blends with high quality seeds that birds will actually eat. It's cheaper in the long run because nothing gets wasted.

Additionally, do not leave out heavily salted foods such as salted peanuts or processed snacks. Birds cannot process high levels of sodium, and in winter when fresh water may be limited, salt can be lethal.

The bird buffet in your yard will be a success with some trial and error. For example, if finches eat a specific seed mix faster than others, adjust your recipes and seed selections for your feeder. In order to keep the local bird population thriving through the winter months, you can use your kitchen and suet-based efforts to create a mini sanctuary. Then, the reward of watching vibrant life thrive outside your window through the winter months will be worth every minute spent. You will get to enjoy watching woodpeckers and other birds in your yard. If woodpecker's enjoy suet, for instance, you can add more suet to your feeder. You can base your feeder bird selections on the preferences of the birds. Your winter bird buffet should change and evolve based on who stops by and what they eat the most!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shelf life of suet cakes made at home?

When the weather is cold (under 40°F, homemade suet will last outside for 2 to 3 weeks before spoiling. When kept in a refrigerator, it will last 30 days or even longer. The freezer will extend the storage life to 6 months or more. Make a big batch in the fall and take out the cakes as you need to. If the weather is warm, the suet will go bad in a matter of days so you will have to wait for winter or use commercial formulas in the summertime.

Is it possible to substitute lard for bacon grease?

Using bacon grease is not recommended. Since it is made with unhealthy ingredients for birds such as salt, nitrates and smoked toxins, it can also coat birds’ feathers and negatively impact the insulating layer which is the opposite of what the bird needs in the winter. Some better options are plain lard, vegetable shortening, and rendered beef suet. If you have to use meat drippings, use unseasoned fat from roasts (not processed).

I’m having problems with my seed ornaments. What am I doing wrong?

In most cases, it’s likely that there wasn't enough gelatin used or the drying time was insufficient. Be sure to allow the gelatin to completely dissolve before you incorporate the seeds and be sure to pack the mixture tightly into the molds. Ornaments made with this mixture should be allowed to dry for a minimum of 24 hours before you remove them from the cookie cutters (48 hours is much better). Cookies clay and humid weather will affect the drying time – you might need to be a little more patient and allow them to dry for longer. If you want ornaments made with this mixture to be stickier, add a tablespoon of corn syrup to the gelatin mixture. This will produce a more durable result.

Is DIY bird food likely to draw in rodents like rats or mice?

It is possible but bird feeders attract rodents. The main rodent attracting substance is fallen seed on the ground. To minimize rodent problems, use sin spill feeders and regularly clean up fallen seed, Bring suet in at night (rodents are most active at night), and don't overfill feeders. If there is a serious problem with rodents, using platform feeders and feeding from the ground will make it worse, so use hanging feeders that rodents can't reach.

What kind of birds eat suet?

Visitors to the suet feeders include woodpeckers (such as downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, and flickers), nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, and wrens, and during the cold months, cardinals, jays, and even sparrows will stop by the suet feeders as well since they need the extra calories. Starlings ovserve suet feeders, too. If they are taking over your feeders, switch to an upside down feeder that woodpeckers can use, but starlings can't figure out.

Is it possible to include dried fruit or nuts into my suet recipe?

Sure! Different types of birds may eat different things. Some other good options are dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, and chopped peanuts. Just remember to keep add-ins to about ¼ of the total mixture so the suet still holds together. Make sure that there is no chocolate or any other artificial sweeteners, and no salted nuts. Unsweetened dried fruits and unseasoned raw nuts are great options.

Can birds eat peanut butter?

Yes, it is safe for birds to eat peanut butter, despite the urban legend that birds choke on peanut butter. Pure peanut butter is safe and even very healthy for birds! The concern about peanut butter being THICK was about it getting stuck to someone’s throat, but that is not how birds eat. Birds take small bites, and then they swallow small bites with no problem. To make the consistency of the mixture even easier for the birds to eat, you can make the mixture with peanut butter and add cornmeal, oats, or flour to it. Just make sure to not use peanut butter that has xylitol (an artificial sweetener) in it, because xylitol is very poisonous to birds.

How often do you need to refill feeders you made yourself?

While it is important to monitor feeder activity regularly, depending on your bird traffic, you may not have to refill your feeder as often as you may think. For example, during cold snaps, a busy feeder station may consume a suet cake every day. On the other hand, *do not refill your feeders on an arbitrary schedule*. It's very important to remove any food that is wet, moldy, or has been sitting for more than a week. Birds are much more attracted to fresh food than to abundant food.

Do I have to keep feeding throughout the winter once I start?

Feeding birds isn’t a long-term impact birds become dependent on feeders. However, with time, they will rely on your feeder so much that your yard will be a stop on their daily foraging routes. They’ll burn extra calories searching for food out of your yard, especially when cold snaps hit. If you plan to leave during winter, have someone else fill the feeders or taper down your feeding schedule so it looks like you are gradually stopping.

Happy birding!