Making Homemade Bird Suet

Learn how to easily create nutritious suet cakes to attract a variety of birds to your backyard

Feeding the birds is a beloved pastime enjoyed by many nature enthusiasts. While purchasing pre-made suet cakes is convenient, making your own homemade suet allows you to customize the ingredients to suit the specific birds in your area and provide them with a more nutritious treat.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of making delicious and healthy suet for birds. You'll discover the best ingredients to use, how to create suet cakes, and tips for hanging them to attract your feathered friends. Let's dive in!

Why Make Homemade Suet?

Suet is a high-energy food made from rendered fat that is popular among many species of birds, especially during the colder months when natural food sources are scarce. While store-bought suet is readily available, there are several advantages to making your own:

• Customizable ingredients: By making your own suet, you can choose ingredients that appeal to the specific birds in your area and provide them with optimal nutrition.
• Cost-effective: Homemade suet is often more affordable than pre-made cakes, especially if you use ingredients you already have on hand.
• Avoid preservatives: Commercial suet often contains preservatives and other additives that may not be ideal for birds. Homemade suet allows you to control what goes into it.
• Satisfaction: There's a sense of accomplishment that comes with creating something yourself to help support local wildlife. Homemade suet is a great way to get involved in backyard bird feeding.

Essential Ingredients for Homemade Suet

The basic ingredients for homemade suet are fat, protein, and filler. Here are some of the best options for each:

Fats:

• Suet or lard
• Peanut butter
• Vegetable shortening

Proteins:

• Birdseed (black oil sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn, etc.)
• Nuts and seeds (peanuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, etc.)
• Dried fruits (raisins, currants, chopped dates, etc.)
• Oats
• Cornmeal
• Flour

Fillers:

• Oats
• Cornmeal
• Flour
• Crushed crackers
• Bread crumbs

When choosing ingredients, opt for high-quality, unsalted and unsweetened options whenever possible. Avoid using butter or margarine, as they can spoil quickly. You'll also want to steer clear of ingredients that may be toxic to birds, such as moldy or rancid foods.

Basic Homemade Suet Recipe

Here's a simple recipe to get you started with homemade suet:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rendered suet or lard
• 1 cup birdseed (black oil sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn, etc.)
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions:

• Melt the suet or lard in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until completely liquid.
• Remove the pan from heat and stir in the birdseed, oats, cornmeal, and flour until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into molds (such as small plastic containers or cups) and press down to compact it.
• Allow the suet cakes to cool completely before removing them from the molds.
• Wrap the suet cakes in plastic wrap or parchment paper and store them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

This basic recipe can be easily customized by adding or substituting ingredients to suit your local bird population. For example, you can add peanut butter for extra protein, dried fruits for sweetness, or crushed nuts for crunch.

Advanced Homemade Suet Recipes

Once you've mastered the basic suet recipe, you can experiment with more advanced variations. Here are a few ideas:

Peanut Butter Suet:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup birdseed

Fruit and Nut Suet:

• 1 cup rendered suet or lard
• 1 cup birdseed
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, currants, chopped dates, etc.)
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Spicy Suet:

• 1 cup rendered suet or lard
• 1 cup birdseed
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper (birds can't taste the heat, but mammals can)

Tips for Molding and Storing Suet

Once you've mixed your suet ingredients, you'll need to mold them into cakes or shapes that are easy for birds to access. Here are some tips:

Molds:

• Reuse plastic containers from store-bought suet
• Use small cups, ramekins, or muffin tins
• Line molds with parchment paper for easy removal
• Pack the suet mixture firmly into the molds to create dense cakes

Storing:

• Allow suet cakes to cool completely before removing from molds

• Wrap suet cakes individually in plastic wrap, parchment paper, or mesh bags
• Store wrapped suet cakes in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use
• Suet will keep for several months when stored properly
• Hanging and Serving Suet

Once your suet cakes are ready, it's time to hang them in your backyard. Here are some tips for serving suet to attract birds:

Feeders:

• Use suet feeders designed with wire mesh or metal cages to hold the cakes
• Attach suet feeders to trees, posts, or hanging hooks
• Place feeders near other bird feeders or in areas with good visibility
• Avoid placing suet feeders near windows to prevent bird collisions

Serving:

• Hang suet cakes at eye level or slightly above
• Offer a variety of suet flavors and shapes to appeal to different bird species
• Replenish feeders regularly to keep them stocked
• Remove any moldy or spoiled suet promptly

Birds That Enjoy Suet

Many species of birds love to feast on suet, especially during the winter months when natural food sources are scarce. Some of the most common suet-loving birds include:

• Woodpeckers (downy, hairy, red-bellied, pileated)
• Nuthatches (white-breasted, red-breasted)
• Chickadees (black-capped, Carolina)

• Titmice

• Jays (blue, gray)
• Wrens (Carolina, house)
• Creepers
• Starlings
• Finches (house, purple, pine)
• Sparrows (house, white-throated, song)
• Blackbirds (grackles, cowbirds)
• Mockingbirds and thrashers
• Orioles (Baltimore, orchard)

By offering a variety of suet flavors and shapes, you can attract a diverse array of birds to your backyard. Keep in mind that the specific species you attract will depend on your geographic location and the time of year.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While making homemade suet is generally straightforward, there are a few potential issues to be aware of:

Melting or softening:

• Use a higher ratio of suet or lard to peanut butter or shortening
• Avoid offering suet in hot weather or direct sunlight
• Store suet cakes in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use

Attracting unwanted visitors:

• Add ground cayenne pepper to the suet mixture to deter squirrels and other mammals
• Use suet feeders with small openings that only allow small birds to access the suet
• Hang feeders away from trees and structures that squirrels can jump from

Spoilage or mold:

• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients
• Avoid offering suet in warm weather for extended periods
• Remove any moldy or spoiled suet promptly
• Store unused suet cakes in the refrigerator or freezer

By following these tips and troubleshooting any issues that arise, you can enjoy a successful homemade suet feeding program in your backyard.

Conclusion

Making homemade suet is a fun and rewarding way to support your local bird population, especially during the colder months when natural food sources are scarce. By customizing your suet recipes and serving methods, you can attract a wide variety of birds to your backyard and provide them with a nutritious treat.

Remember to use fresh, high-quality ingredients, store suet properly, and keep feeders clean and well-stocked. With a little bit of preparation and patience, you'll be rewarded with the joyful sight of birds feasting on your homemade suet creations.

So why not give it a try? Gather your ingredients, get creative with your recipes, and start attracting more birds to your backyard today. Happy suet making!