by Beverley Francis

Created on: July 28, 2009

Suet is a high-energy food source attractive to many types of birds. Beef suet is the hard fat found near the kidneys and loins of a cow and can be purchased at the meat counter of your supermarket. In cold weather it can be used as is but in warm weather the suet will melt so you should render it to prevent this from happening or else buy commercially prepared suet cakes.

To render suet, cut it into small pieces or you can put it through a meat grinder, even a food processor will work. Put suet and a small amount of water in a pan and melt over a low heat. Once the suet is melted pour into a muffin tin or other similar size containers and allow to cool. You can add other bird treats to the suet after it has melted, such as mixed seeds, chopped nuts, cracked corn, sunflower seeds and whatever else you know they will like.

For another version of a suet treat, mix peanut butter, shortening, cornmeal, whole wheat flour and nuts or seeds together and keep in the fridge. You can use this mixture the same as you use suet.

There are different types of suet containers that can be used. Wire cages are quite common, this is a small cage made of plastic-coated wire mesh that opens up so you can put the suet in. These cages are easy to fill, long-lasting and because it's wire squirrels are less likely to eat all the suet.

Suet logs can be purchased or made. Logs should be about two inches in diameter and about one and a half feet long. Drill three or four holes into the log measuring about an inch in diameter, put a hook in the top so that you can hang it. Then all you need to do is fill the holes with your suet treats. This type of feeder mimics the birds natural feeding environment. You can also smear the suet directly onto tree trunks and branches, pinecones smeared with suet treats makes a wonderful natural feeder.

Onion bags or other type of mesh bag cost nothing and are easy to fill and replace. Just place suet inside the bag and tie close with a piece of string long enough to hang the bag up with. The downside to using onion bags is that squirrels and larger birds can tear the mesh trying to get at the suet.

Some birds that are attracted to suet feeders are bluejays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmouse, starling and mockingbirds.

Once you start using suet feeders birds will flock to your yard, it doesn't take long for word to spread in the bird community. During the winter you will have the happiest birds in the whole neighbourhood.

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