Suet Bird Feeder & How To Make Home Made Suit

Backyard bird watching is a fun and enjoyable thing to do. Birds love to eat a variety of foods and there are many birds that love eating wild bird foods at a bird feeder. Others like Hummingbirds need nectar feeders. However there are other birds that prefer to eat suet. Suet is a high energy bird food.

Suet is especially  good as a winter feed when there is a scarcity of food and the birds require more food for warmth. Suet should not be used in suet feeders for birds above  80 degrees Fahrenheit as it will  go rancid and melt.

Suet can meet the  very essential needs of  birds that burn a lot of energy from quick flying. Birds that are molting as well as migrating birds need suet especially during the fall season. The lack of insects during the fall and winter months and early spring can be a good reason to use a suet mixture in bird feeders. Also it gives use an opportunity for backyard bird watching even in the fall and winter months. Suet bird feeders can provide them with the nourishment they need at this time. Birds will find suet feeders a real benefit in cold weather and you can watch them enjoy this tasty food source. 

The wire suet feeders generally come in two varieties. The normal type is that of the wire mesh cage suet feeder. With these suet feeders a suet cake is placed in the cage and the top is closed. The birds cling to the side of the cage of the suet feeders to eat the suet.

Another type of this feeder is the bottom opening suet feeders or upside down suet bird feeder. This suet feeder  discourage birds like Starlings because the bird  needs to cling upside down to get at the suet. Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches on the other hand will be able to enjoy their share of the suet cakes as they have no problem eating upside down. You can use an onion bag or some other bag that is similar to the onion bag for an inexpensive home made suet feeder.

You can watch birds such as Woodpeckers, Kinglets and Nuthatches as well as Jays, Robins, and Starlings  that come to your suet bird feeders.  Warblers, Mockingbirds, Bluebirds, and Chickadees also like suet feeders. Many of these birds will not eat at normal bird feeders. If  you would like to watch these birds in your yard. or on  your porch you will need suet feeders.

The other type of suet feeders are log suet feeders they can be purchased or made from a natural log. If you are using a natural log they will have or you must drill holes  into them. The suet is plugged into the holes of this type of suet feeder. Suet feeder logs  have perches on them or you will need to make them for your natural log so  large birds like Bluebirds can stand on as they  eat from this type of  suet feeders. To prevent squirrels from coming and eating the suet from these log feeders, you can place a suet plug mixture that has hot peppers in the holes. This is hot pepper suet plug will not  harmful  either the birds or the squirrels but discourages the squirrels from coming back.

There is a third type of suet feeders for birds. With  these dual purpose suet feeders they have a place for the suet and also holders for bird seed. So you will be able to attract  lots of different birds.

Window suet bird feeder, this style of bird feeder is fun to have. You get to watch the birds close up as they are eating and you do not even need a yard.

The birds who visit suet feeders like Woodpeckers, Kinglets and Nuthatches generally eat their food near or on tree trunks. So it is best to hang your suet feeder   near a tree trunk and approximately 5 -6 feet distance from the ground.

Make sure to placing your suet feeder where you can see and watch the  birds enjoying the suet feed. Birds will usually find your suet feeder if you need to hang it from a branch or even your porch, if this is the only place you can see it.

By providing suet feeders for your feathered visitors you not only help them during the cold season you also have a chance of seeing lots of new and different birds in your backyard, garden, patio or even your window during the fall and winter months.

Home Made Suet Recipe

A recipe for suet for your suet feeders. Get suet , usually  beef from your local butcher  or meat  section of your grocery store.  Ask them for  a  pound or several pounds of  suet, they may give it to you or charge you a small amount for  the suet. Take the suet   home put it in a large pan until it boils. Then let it cool down until it is semi liquid and still soft add   bird seeds, fruit, crumbs or even chunky peanut butter mix well let cool. When cool enough to safely handle, but still soft, roll in balls or  log form and in the size you want. Or you can purchase suet for your feeders.

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