Feed the Birds This Winter With Homemade Suet

As the weather turns cooler, some birds start migrating to warmer locations. But many of our backyard birds stay right here in Illinois. Believe it or not, some birds, like dark-eyed juncos, migrate to our backyards for winter because it is warmer here than the far northern areas where they live the rest of the year. Yes, even our coldest, snowiest days feel like a warmer retreat for those juncos!

A suet feeder made from a teacup. (Photo by Heather Van Zyl)

But just because some birds have adapted to survive cold Illinois winters doesn’t mean their needs stay the same as in the warmer spring and summer months. Just like we shouldn’t wear our summer sandals in the snow, birds’ bodies and behaviors change too. They grow extra feathers to provide insulation, like you putting on a thick, warm coat when you play outside. They also eat meals with more fat and protein that provide extra calories birds need to keep up their energy.

We can’t really help birds grow extra feathers, but we can provide a great winter food source — suet! Suet is a fatty protein source mixed with seeds, nuts or fruit. That sounds a lot like the protein bars you might eat before sports practice! But don’t just unwrap a bar and leave it outside. Birds need a special blend. You might already have everything you need to make suet bird feeders for your feathered friends.

To get started on making a suet feeder of your own, start by gathering your ingredients and supplies. Here’s what you will need: 

• 1 ½ cups lard or vegetable shortening 

• ¾ cup natural peanut butter or sun butter (chunky variety) 

• 3 ½ cups bird seed (stores offer lots of mixes to choose from) 

• 1 cup quick oats 

• ½ cup cornmeal 

• Dried fruit 

• A large, microwave-safe bowl 

• Measuring cups 

• A spoon 

The suet mixture. (Photo by Heather Van Zyl)

Once you have everything you need, mix a batch. Here are step-by-step directions.

1. Place the shortening in the bowl. Melt in the microwave. 

2. Stir in the peanut butter. If it’s too hard, briefly microwave and try stirring again. 

3. Once the peanut butter is well-blended, add the rest of the ingredients. 

Now the fun part! As the suet cools, it will start to harden, like your protein bar snack. Before it hardens, you can mold it into all kinds of shapes. Get creative with things you already have around your house. Press it into an empty can or get fancy with an old teacup. If you finish off a jar of peanut butter making the recipe, you can fill it right back up with suet. Just remember to add a stick for a perch! 

A suet feeder made in a recycled can. (Photo by Heather Van Zyl)

Form into balls or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Remember to add a string so you can hang them in shrubs or from a bird feeder pole.

Once your suet feeder cools and hardens, hang it outside. Watch for hungry visitors. Which birds visit the most? Want to learn their names? Check out this story on winter birds. Do other animals snack on suet too? 

Pro tip 

Once the season turns to spring and summer and the weather is consistently warm, it’s time to put the suet away. It can get melty or even moldy in the heat. Stick to just a seed mix instead. You can make a seed feeder yourself too.

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