Wild bird seed cakes are an enjoyable way to feed birds while being easy enough for kids to make. Not only do these cakes taste delicious, but they’re also easy to make so everyone in the family can have some fun making them!
Making a successful wild bird seed cake requires high quality suet. Suet is the fat that holds together bird feed and provides essential calories and energy for birds.
Contents
Suet or Lard
If you don’t have access to butter, suet or lard can be used instead. Suet is the raw fat around the kidneys and loins of meat animals such as lamb, mutton or beef.
Suet is a popular food choice for birds during the fall and winter when they require lots of energy to stay warm. Additionally, it helps replace protein during cold weather when insects may be scarce.
Suet can be beneficial to birds, but avoid adding too much sugar or other non-nutritive ingredients. Instead, blend high quality fat with dry items that birds love such as peanut pieces and mixed seeds.
After you blend it with shortening or nut butter, form it into a cake. Place these treats in either a cake pan, muffin tin, or even hand-press them into balls or patties – just be sure to press firmly so the mixture doesn’t become soft or crumbly.
Peanut Butter
When making wild bird seed cakes, peanut butter makes an excellent substitute for butter. Not only does it provide essential proteins and fats that birds require to thrive, but it’s also easily recognizable by its distinctive taste.
Peanuts are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as being a naturally vegetarian and vegan food option.
Alternatives to peanuts include sunflower seeds, which are packed with essential nutrients and popular among various bird species. Nyger seeds can also be fed to wild birds such as finches and songbirds.
Making these peanut butter bird feeders with your children is an enjoyable and simple craft to do together. Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity for them to learn about the various bird foods available for their feathered friends!
Egg Whites
Egg whites can be substituted for butter when making bird seed cakes. Since they contain high levels of fats and proteins, egg whites will help increase the energy your birds get from their meal.
Peanut butter can also be used as a great substitution, just be sure to warm it thoroughly before adding it to the recipe. This ensures all ingredients are mixed thoroughly and makes for more nutritious cake for your garden birds.
Other animal or vegetable ingredients can be included in a wild bird seed cake, such as dried bread crumbs, cereals, nuts and raisins. These provide nutrition for an array of birds so your yard attracts more species!
Other Ingredients
Wild bird seed cakes can be enhanced with various ingredients to attract a wider range of birds. Some ideas include dried bread crumbs, cereals, nuts, raisins or other dried fruit as well as cooked bacon for flavoring.
These can be utilized to provide additional nutrition for many species of birds. For instance, cardinals often seek out wild bird seed cakes with sunflower seeds and safflower.
Fat balls and wild bird seed cakes are great ways to ensure birds stay nourished during the winter, when other food sources are scarce. Suet and lard act as binding agents which increase fat consumption, while peanut butter provides both essential fats and proteins.
