Feeding Your Winter Guests
by Sandy Uecker

When most people think of feeding birds in winter, they think of providing seeds. If you only feed one type, the best seed is black-oil sunflower. This small seed is like cheesecake to winter feeding birds -- high in calories, very palatable, and easier to open than larger striped sunflower seeds. Black-oil sunflowers also attract the greatest variety of birds. In fact, birds will throw out seeds of commercial bird mixtures to get to their favorite - black-oil sunflower. Buy hulled sunflower seeds if you don’t like the mess of sunflower seed shells. Another good seed for smaller birds is white or red millet. Niger thistle seed is a good choice for goldfinches, pine siskins, and other finches. Cracked corn is a favorite of many songbirds and is nice for ground feeders such as doves and sparrows. If you buy a commercial bird seed mixture, make sure the mixture does not contain a large percentage of milo, wheat grouts, and rape seed because most songbirds will not eat these seeds. How about those left-over pumpkins from Halloween? Dried pumpkins seeds and seeds from squash and melons are very tasty treats for your feathered friends. Some birds even prefer these seeds to black-oil sunflowers. Make sure the seeds are well dried so they will not mold.

If you like woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches you can give them an extra energy boost by providing suet. These birds depend on insects for their food, and when insects are not readily available they relish suet and suet mixtures. Beef suet is the best and can be obtained from the butcher. If you don’t want to make suet yourself, you can buy commercial suet cakes. Suet should only be fed when the temperatures are below 70 degrees F. There is a recipe for year-round suet that can be used at warmer temperatures. Double melting suet will make homemade suet cakes harder. Suet can be provided in wire mesh suet feeders or in onion sacks.

Don’t forget birds need water in the winter also. A bird bath heater or heated bird bath provides water for your feathered friends in the winter. Finding open water in the winter can be quite a challenge, and birds lose valuable energy by eating snow rather then drinking water. Birds still need to keep their feathers clean for better insulation and will take baths in the winter. By providing water, you may attract birds that do not visit your feeders. Remember to keep the water fresh and clean; you don’t want your guests to become sick. Having guests for dinner can be a rewarding experience, and you never know who will show up for dinner!

Bird Suet Recipes
Important note: feed suet (animal fat) when temperatures are below 70 degrees F. The all- season suet can be used year-around. Double melting suet makes it harder, and will keep its shape better. Beef suet is the best.

Fancy Suet Cakes

2 cups ground Suet approx. 1 lb.
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup wild bird seed mix
1 cup sunflower seeds

Melt suet and allow to cool and harden. Melt again. Mix in other ingredients. Pour into molds such as old margarine tubs, Tupperware etc. Chill. Store in plastic bags in freezer until needed.

Vegetable shortening cakes
Not a true suet cake, but can be used on pine cones or in log feeders.

1 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups yellow cornmeal
l cup white or whole wheat flour
1 cup cracked corn

Melt shortening, remove from heat, add peanut butter, blend well, mix in all other ingredients. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Peanut butter hard suet cakes

2 cups ground suet
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups fine cracked corn

Melt suet, let cool and harden, then melt again. Stir in cornmeal and cracked corn. Place in molds, store in freezer.

All season suet

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups “quick cook” oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup lard (no substitutes)
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup sugar

Melt lard and peanut butter in microwave, stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into freezer container and store in freezer.

The Outdoor Women of South Dakota's mission statement is "To promote hands-on education and participation in outdoor activities with a primary focus on Women and Children"

(From OWSD Website:)