Peanut butter offers birds a protein boost during winter. This treat can be served through various feeders or simply spread onto tree bark and pine cones for species such as woodpeckers.
Be sure to give wild birds bird-specific peanut butter, rather than the one designed for people, which has less salt and sugar. Smooth or chunky varieties are available.
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Peanut butter
Peanut butter is an ideal treat to add to bird feeders as a source of both protein and fat for wild birds, including woodpeckers, blue jays, and nuthatches. Add small dollops of peanut butter to various feeder types or simply spread some on trees, posts or fences for hungry visitors!
Peanut butter designed specifically for birds should be unsalted and organic as store bought brands often contain ingredients harmful to wildlife. Specialist varieties designed specifically for birds tend to be less messy since it won’t get caught up in feathers. No matter which variety you use, make sure that any spoilage items are removed regularly from your supply. Also avoid offering cooked or smoked peanuts as these could potentially harm wild birds; rather try offering raw peanuts instead for a healthier snack option.
Jelly
Peanut butter is an extremely popular food among wild birds such as Woodpeckers and Nuthatches, especially the bird variety which contains less salt. Furthermore, ground foraging birds prefer the bird version because it won’t harden around their bill when eating it from the ground surface.
Bird food containing various seeds, pieces of fruit and nuts as well as salmonella outbreaks is essential. When giving this type of bird food to birds, be mindful of any signs of spoilage by regularly checking feeders and checking signs for salmonella.
Jelly can provide young birds with energy, but its high sugar content should only be provided occasionally. Homemade versions are the better choice as store bought versions often contain too much sugar, aspartame and other unsuitable ingredients for them. Jelly may attract wildlife such as raccoons and squirrels which could potentially harm them further.
Suet
Suet provides high-energy food for birds during the winter. Additionally, it allows them to store fat reserves that will provide energy when food becomes scarce.
Many birders find success feeding suet in holiday-inspired shapes such as hearts for Valentine’s Day or shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day to attract woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches. Another method involves stuffing suet into holes drilled into short logs that are suspended from poles or trees limbs – an easy and accessible solution!
Peanuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruit bits and unsweetened cranberries (in limited amounts), wheat germ or corn meal, quick-cooking oats and kitchen scraps are all suitable ingredients for creating homemade suet cakes, but animal fat should always be included to help ensure birds can utilize its energy immediately and store it away for later. Combine melted fat with the dry suet mixture before stirring in any add-ins as desired and pour or pack into molds, feeders or household objects to make a homemade suet cake!
Fruit
Fruits, both fresh and frozen, provide birds with essential nutrition throughout the winter months. You can grow these fruits yourself or purchase them from local farmers markets. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries contain vitamins, potassium and dietary fiber – providing birds with all they need to survive the harsh winter weather conditions. Juniper (commonly referred to as shadbush) berries can also help ensure survival through these cold months.
Oranges are another great food choice for birds in springtime, offering them an abundant source of Vitamin C.
Feed the birds leftover rinds and peels of various melons; alternatively, planting fruit-bearing trees, shrubs and bushes in your backyard to attract birds would also work great; just avoid citrus and avocado trees which can cause toxicity issues for birds. Also offer peas, sweet corn and even potatoes with their skin on before cooking!
