Wintering birds – Food

Feeding birds in winter with recipes

Attract wintering birds to your yard by offering tallow feed during cold weather. Not only will you be doing a great service to the birds, but you will also learn by observing the birds that frequent your feeding area. Establishing a bird feeder that offers a variety of foods is the best option. A tallow cage or feeder is perfect for winter birds. I know, tallow? gross! BUT, it is the best option for birds. You can still offer the traditional sunflower seed mix, which is a great food source year-round, but consider buying a tallow and tallow feeder … or make your own tallow for the birds (see recipes at the end of this article).

The tallow can contain berries, peanut butter, insects, fat, nuts, cormeal, oats, flour, and of course seeds of any combination, all packed into a cake, log, scoop, or bell. The tallow mixtures will even attract birds that normally only eat insects. Nuthatch, Woodpeckers, Starlings, and Chickadees love tallow mixes!

IF you choose a traditional feeder and seeds only, make sure the feeder is weather resistant and can hang where it is safe from rain and snow.

This is good advice for any type of feeder, including suet cages or baskets.

It is also best to place the food in a feeder that protects the seeds from bird droppings. Additionally, birds should not be made vulnerable to predation or other hazards by careless placement of the bird feeder or tallow feeder.

Did you know that birds can be given some types of scraps or kitchen scraps? Breads, Baked Goods, Fat – Melt fat and add dry bread or other baked goods to create your own tallow ball or log. If you use PEANUT BUTTER, be sure to mix it with other fats and seeds to avoid CHOKING.

Have you thought about a heated birdbath in winter? the birds will also appreciate the water to drink. Birds also use sand to aid in digestion, so consider having dirt, sand, chunks of salt, or ground eggshells near your bathroom. See Suet’s Recipes at the end of this article.

Did you know that some species have changed their winter habits and their distribution due to the feeding of birds? In the Pacific Northwest, you may notice that robins hang around year-round. That is due to the abundance of food. Additionally, Evening Grosbeaks, Cardinals, and other species have changed their wintering habits in areas around the United States and Canada.

Now, there are other issues to consider when feeding winter birds. Squirrels, cats, dogs, and other animals that steal food or kill birds. Cats kill more birds than any predator, but dogs can also be dangerous to birds, so try not to place your feeder near where these animals frequent or where these animals may hide.

Make sure feeders are close to natural hiding places for birds, but not other animals. Squirrel-proof feeders that sit high on a feeding pole are a good option.

Don’t place your feeder too close to windows as birds have been known to fly into windows and be killed or injured. Keep checking the feeder and watching for problems. If you find that a particular food or seed is being ignored, then you know not to continue to include it.

When you set up a feeder (try to keep it in the same place so the birds get used to traveling) you will meet the birds that frequent your feeder. If you like bird watching, consider setting up a webcam or taking photos of the birds to share with others.

Pinfeathers Bluebird Suet

Blend in a food processor or vigorously by hand:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup bacon

2 cups of cornmeal

1 cup of flour

Chopped raisins, currants, walnuts, dried fruit, eggshell (fine)

(you can use any or all of these last ingredients)

Place in a pan and cool. This can be cut and placed in a tallow cage or feeder.

I think for sebum Pinfeathers

1 cup shortening or bacon

• 1 cup thick peanut butter

• 2 cups unbleached or bleached plain flour

• 3 cups of yellow cornmeal

You can add chopped nuts and fruits of your choice. Gooseberries and grapes are popular.

Happy feeding!