Suet pellets are an effective way of attracting birds of many different varieties, both to special suet feeders or simply scattered on the ground.
Food high in energy helps birds build up fat reserves for winter. Furthermore, they contain protein essential for their wellbeing and overall health.
Contents
1. Suet Cakes
Suet is a solid form of animal fat designed to attract various species of wild birds. People use suet as bird feeders by mixing lard or peanut butter together with seeds for coating; offering it in traditional wooden bird feeders or stuffing pinecones with suet.
Birds feed off of suet for instant energy as well as long-term storage purposes, making it popular with woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and cardinals among many backyard species. Suet is especially helpful during fall and winter when wild birds need extra calories to stay warm.
Consumers can either purchase commercial suet from gardening stores or make it themselves at home; oftentimes the latter option can be more economical. When making or purchasing raw suet, make sure it lists rendered beef fat as one of its ingredients to extend freshness during warm weather months.
2. Suet Pellets
Suet pellets provide an easy way for bird lovers to provide high energy food to garden birds. Made up of nuts, seeds, mealworms and fruit as well as insects for balanced nutrition – these pellets can be given out via trays, dishes or suet log feeders; sometimes even made into holiday shapes like hearts for Valentine’s Day or shamrocks on St Patrick’s day!
Some suet pellets feature pepper as an additive to deter squirrels and raccoons, as well as attract birds such as blackbirds, robins and wrens that feed off of them directly on the ground or by scattering seeds/peanuts on it – these attract blackbirds, robins and wrens but when mixed in with seed or peanuts they attract smaller blue tits/sparrows that need extra calories in fall/winter to stay warm! They should be offered year round but especially during fall/winter when birds need extra calories in order to stay warm.
3. Balls
Small birds love suet pellets as a high energy food source year-round. Suet feeders from Duncraft or logs with predrilled holes ($5, The Home Depot) can be used to hang these high energy treats; or simply scattering some on the ground will draw in blackbirds and robins!
Fat balls, often sold under the name “bird seed and suet blends”, contain a blend of bird seed and suet in various flavours and ingredients to satisfy wild birds, but should be avoided to protect their health as netted balls could potentially entangle and restrict feeding efforts of wild birds.
Garden Birds all year long require high quality, high energy suet that offers the necessary fat content. Suet Feast Feeders have been designed specifically to accommodate these blocks for convenient feeding.
4. Plugs
Suet is an excellent high energy food for garden birds that should be provided throughout the year, but especially during colder temperatures when extra calories may be required to stay warm. Suet feeders or mixed with other foods are great way to offer it as part of a balanced diet – an essential staple.
Suet can come in various forms to meet the various feeding habits of various species. Common forms include cakes that fit easily into a metal suet cage or being placed into holes drilled in logs for suspension from trees; alternatively it can be formed into nuggets to hang from socks like these from Duncraft; it may even contain insects which provide woodpeckers and nuthatches with extra treats!
Whatever type of suet you use, it is essential to remember that it can quickly turn rancid if left sitting for too long, making frequent replacement a priority – at least twice weekly during hotter weather – advisable. Also try offering multiple kinds of food to attract a greater variety of species.
