How to Make Bird Suet at Home

Bird suet is a great way to attract birds to your garden and give them the energy they need to survive. Making your own bird suet is easy, affordable, and fun! In this article, we will show you how to make bird suet using simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store or online.

Before we get started, it is important to understand what suet is and why birds love it. Suet is a high-energy food made from animal fat, which is particularly important for birds during the winter months when natural food sources are scarce. By providing suet in your garden, you can help birds stay healthy and well-nourished throughout the year. Now, let’s get started on making some delicious bird suet!

Materials Needed

Making bird suet is not a complicated process, and it requires only a few materials. With the following items, you can create an irresistible bird suet recipe that will attract various bird species to your feeders.

Suet Blocks

Suet blocks are the base of the bird suet recipe. They provide the fat content that birds need to stay warm during the winter months. You can purchase pre-made suet blocks at any local hardware store, but making them from scratch is more cost-effective and allows for more customization.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter acts as a binder that holds the suet block together. It’s also an excellent source of protein and fat that birds love. However, make sure to choose peanut butter with no added sugar or salt since that can be harmful to birds.

Cornmeal

Cornmeal helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the suet block a more solid structure. It’s also a great source of carbohydrates and proteins for birds.

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

Black oil sunflower seeds are the perfect addition to bird suet as they’re high in energy and oil content, and birds love them. They’re loaded with nutrients, vitamins, and carbohydrates, making them a perfect source of energy.

Peanuts

Peanuts are rich in protein and fat, making them one of the best bird food ingredients to include in your bird suet recipe. They’re also very affordable and easy to find in any grocery store.

Safflower Seed

Safflower seed is a great bird food ingredient because it’s loaded with healthy fats and proteins. It’s also more challenging for squirrels to consume, which means they won’t steal all the food you intended for the birds.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is an excellent ingredient for bird suet because it’s packed with natural sugars, vitamins, protein, and fiber. You can use any fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, or apricots, as long as you chop them into small pieces.

Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is an excellent binding agent that will help hold the ingredients together and add a bit of sweetness to the recipe. However, be careful not to add too much corn syrup, as too much sugar is harmful to birds.

Essential Oils

Essential oils, like cinnamon or peppermint, are great for bird suet since they’re a natural deterrent for insects that might be attracted to the food. Just a few drops of either oil into the recipe would suffice.

Mold-Resistant Pans

Lastly, and definitely not the least, a mold-resistant pan keeps your bird suet recipe from going bad quickly. Use a square or rectangular tray lined with parchment paper, or even a plastic container, to create the perfect suet block size and shape. Sturdy containers are ideal for creating uniform blocks that are easy to store and feed to birds.

Types of Fat to Use in Making Bird Suet

When making bird suet, it is important to use the right type of fat. The fat in the suet provides the necessary fuel and energy for birds, particularly during winter. Common types of fat that are suitable for making bird suet include:

1. Raw Suet: This is the best type of fat to use when making bird suet. It is the hard white fatty tissue that surrounds the kidneys of beef or mutton. Raw suet is high in calories and has a high melting point, which makes it perfect for winter bird feeding.

2. Lard: Lard is an easy-to-find and affordable fat to use in making bird suet. It is readily available in most grocery stores and has a moderate melting point.

3. Vegetable Shortening: Vegetable shortening is a good alternative to animal fat. It is made from refined vegetable oil and has a low melting point, which makes it easy to mix with other ingredients.

4. Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is another alternative to animal fat. It is high in calories and has a low melting point, which makes it perfect for summer bird feeding.

5. Bacon Fat: Bacon fat is a flavorful and aromatic fat that birds love. However, it has a low melting point and can turn rancid quickly. Use bacon fat sparingly in bird suet and store it in the refrigerator.

6. Butter: Butter is delicious but not a suitable fat for bird suet. Butter has a low melting point and can go rancid quickly, plus it generally does not have the required nutritional value for the birds.

7. Margarine: Margarine is also not a good option for bird suet as it contains water and a lot of additives, which can be harmful to birds.

8. Crisco: Crisco is a brand of vegetable shortening that is hydrogenated. While the brand has been around for a long time in the market and its lipid content has changed, it is still preferred by many birders but it should be used sparingly, as hydrogenation produces trans fats, which are not good for birds or humans.

9. Homemade Rendered Fat: You can render your own fat from beef or pork to use in bird suet. This method not only produces high-quality suet, but it is also a cost-effective option.

10. Commercially Prepared Suet: Commercially prepared suet cakes are widely available and convenient, but they can be expensive. They also often contain filler ingredients like wheat, millet, or corn syrup, so be sure to read the label before purchasing.

Choosing the Right Ingredients for Your Homemade Bird Suet

Making bird suet at home is a fun and rewarding experience for any bird enthusiast. However, before diving into the process of making suet, it is essential to choose the right ingredients. Below are some tips on selecting the right ingredients for your bird suet recipe.

1. Fats and Oils

The base of any suet recipe is fats and oils. These ingredients provide energy to the birds during the cold winter months. However, not all fats and oils are recommended for bird suet.

Avoid using hydrogenated oils and vegetable shortening. These types of oils have been linked to various health conditions in birds. Instead, use natural fats such as lard or suet that are high in calories.

2. Nuts and Seeds

Adding nuts and seeds to your bird suet recipe will not only provide excellent nutrition but will also attract a variety of bird species to your backyard.

Some of the best nuts and seeds to add to bird suet include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, and walnuts. Avoid using salted or roasted nuts as they can harm birds’ health.

3. Fruits and Berries

Fruits and berries are another great addition to bird suet. They provide essential nutrients and vitamins to birds, helping them stay healthy during the cold winter months.

Some of the fruits and berries that you can add to your suet recipe include apples, raisins, berries, and currants.

4. Mealworms and Insects

Birds, especially insect-eating species, love mealworms and insects. Adding these high protein ingredients to your bird suet will attract a wider range of bird species to your backyard.

You can purchase dried mealworms or catch your own insects and add them to the suet mixture. However, before adding any insects, make sure to clean them to remove any harmful chemicals they may have consumed.

5. Suet Molds

To make bird suet, you need to mold it into consistent shapes and sizes. The market offers various types of suet molds that come in different shapes and sizes, but you can also use everyday household items such as milk cartons, muffin tins, or plastic containers.

Table: Recommended ingredients for bird suet.

Keep in mind that the ingredients you choose will determine the type of birds that will visit your backyard. Experiment with different combinations to attract a wide range of bird species. Remember to avoid using harmful ingredients and always clean any insects before adding them to the suet mixture.

So there you have it, folks! Now you know how to make bird suet and you’re ready to start feeding all the lovely feathered creatures in your backyard. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different ingredients to make your own unique recipe, and don’t forget to share your tips and tricks with other bird lovers out there. Thanks for reading, and remember to come back soon for more fun and informative articles on how to make your backyard feel like a little piece of paradise. Happy bird watching!