Winter weather is harsh, not just for us humans, but also for the birds. In their quest for food in natural areas, a tasty morsel of suet is a treasured find at a bird-feeder station. They are looking for that extra boost of energy, and suet provides just that.
What is Suet? Suet is packaged in cakes, and made out of animal fat that has been filled with birdseed, nuts, and sometimes, dried berries and even dried insects. Different companies offer different recipes which can be purchased at bird and garden stores around Charlotte. Or you can make your own suet. Fair warning, it can get a little messy.
Why Suet? Why Now? Suet a good choice, especially in winter, to offer your backyard birds? The main ingredient in suet, fat, is an important part of the birds diet – year-round. It provides the bird with a high-energy food source. Suet is a bit easier to handle in the winter, and won’t melt if left out for longer periods. You can also notice in your landscape, the limited offerings of food naturally available to birds (and other wildlife) during winter. It is important to the health of your birds to offer a variety of food for a well-balanced diet.
See First Hand how Suet Attracts Birds: I’ve noticed a plethora of birds visiting my suet feeder, regardless of season. Most of the time, woodpeckers dominate the suet, staking out their claim on the feeder and swallowing down the morsels, but finches, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Eastern Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and occasionally Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Chipping Sparrows, take turns.
Watching the interaction of the birds on the suet is also enjoyable. One season, I watched, amused, as a Brown Thrasher sat patiently under the suet and wait for another bird to furiously peck at the suet cake. The thrasher would proceed to eat the crumbs that dropped from above.
Suet brings a wider variety of birds to your feeders. I highly recommend making an addition to your yard, if you haven’t got one already. If you do, add another. You can sit inside by your window, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the warmth of your home. The birds will thank you for it!
What is Suet? Suet is packaged in cakes, and made out of animal fat that has been filled with birdseed, nuts, and sometimes, dried berries and even dried insects. Different companies offer different recipes which can be purchased at bird and garden stores around Charlotte. Or you can make your own suet. Fair warning, it can get a little messy.
Why Suet? Why Now? Suet a good choice, especially in winter, to offer your backyard birds? The main ingredient in suet, fat, is an important part of the birds diet – year-round. It provides the bird with a high-energy food source. Suet is a bit easier to handle in the winter, and won’t melt if left out for longer periods. You can also notice in your landscape, the limited offerings of food naturally available to birds (and other wildlife) during winter. It is important to the health of your birds to offer a variety of food for a well-balanced diet.
See First Hand how Suet Attracts Birds: I’ve noticed a plethora of birds visiting my suet feeder, regardless of season. Most of the time, woodpeckers dominate the suet, staking out their claim on the feeder and swallowing down the morsels, but finches, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Eastern Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and occasionally Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Chipping Sparrows, take turns.
Watching the interaction of the birds on the suet is also enjoyable. One season, I watched, amused, as a Brown Thrasher sat patiently under the suet and wait for another bird to furiously peck at the suet cake. The thrasher would proceed to eat the crumbs that dropped from above.
Suet brings a wider variety of birds to your feeders. I highly recommend making an addition to your yard, if you haven’t got one already. If you do, add another. You can sit inside by your window, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the warmth of your home. The birds will thank you for it!
