WINTER BIRD FEEDING - SUET
Winter is hard on
all the native birds that stay in our area.
By the time January arrives most seeds have already been eaten off the
ground and berries have fallen from the trees and shrubs. Luckily for our feathered friends, winter
back yard bird watching is now one of America's favorite hobbies. We spend millions of dollars every year
feeding wild birds in order to attract our winged friends within easy view.
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Flocks of over wintering birds are attracted to back yard bird feeders. In attention to the common English Sparrows then are many native species such as Yellow-Crowned sparrow that visit back yard bird feeders. |
Birds with diets
that depend mostly on insects have the hardest time finding enough proteins and
calories in other food sources such as fruit and seeds. For these birds 'suet' is extremely valuable.
Suet is a winter
bird food made from animal fat that is easily digested and metabolized by
many birds; it's a
high-energy food, especially valuable in cold weather. Suet is particularly attractive to
woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, blue jays, tree creepers, and starlings
when they visit feeders. Of course
squirrels love suet and will gobble every bite if permitted.
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Red-bellied Woodpeckers make daily visits to gardens with suet. This is a female. The male has a red head also. |
Suet cakes are sold
almost everywhere we shop. Garden shops,
hardware stores, Christmas Tree Shops, Tractor Supply and even our local
grocery stores. I try to find suet cakes
at the best price and stock up on them. They
can be stored in a cool spot or put in a freezer for long term storage.
Commercial suet
feeders are available, and are an inexpensive investment. They have a latch to close them but I also
use a twist tie to prevent squirrels from opening the cage and knocking the
cake on the ground.
The White-breasted Nuthatch is amazing to watch walking up and down trees.
Place the suet in feeders or net onion bags at least five feet
from the ground to keep it out of the reach of dogs.
Do not put out suet during hot weather as it can turn rancid. During hot weather the dripping fat can
damage natural waterproofing on bird feathers causing permanent damage and a
shorter life; not what we are hoping for when we feed birds.
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This Red-bellied woodpecker clings easily to suet feeders hung upside down. |
Today suet cakes come in a wide variety of ingredients and
flavors. Everything from citrus.,
blueberry or hot chili. The birds are coming for the fat, so the simpler the
indigents, the better. If I find a suet with corn I put it back. Corn is the least nutritional "filler"
with only two percent protein.
It is possible to make your own suet from leftover fat. You can find information on how to make it on
the internet and Youtube.
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I have the fattest squirrels in town, but hanging the suet feeders upside down with a baffle limits the amount they can gobble up before falling off. |
Squirrels, starlings and other large birds will scare away the
birds we want to attract. I use a simple trick that helps avoid or limit this
problem. Hang your suet cake feeder
upside down. When I unwrap the suet I only take off the top wrapper, leaving
the plastic tray on the rest of the cake. Place the suet in the feeder with the
exposed suet facing down.
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Two local native woodpeckers look alike. The Downy woodpecker and the Hairy woodpecker are tricky to identify, but the Hairy is a little bigger. The males of both species have a red cap. |
This makes it difficult for the larger birds to hang
on for long and they soon search for an easier food supply. The smaller birds
are able to cling upside down and have no trouble eating the suet.
Happy back yard bird watching,
James
