These homemade bird feeders are a great way to give your local wild birds a real treat. You can make a bird feeder at any time of year, but it’s particularly important to support wild birds in winter.
Winter is a tough time of year for wild birds, as natural food sources such as insects and berries are scarce. Also, birds need lots of energy-rich food to maintain fat reserves, which are called upon most when temperatures drop in colder months.
Providing a winter food source (such as a winter bird feeder) for birds is not just a perfect way to help your local wildlife. Encouraging a lot of birds to visit your garden will supply you with plenty of interest during the cold winter months.
You can buy a wide variety of *bird food and *fat balls to keep your feathered friends happy, but making your own homemade bird feeders is simple to do. It’s also a lovely activity to get kids of all ages involved with.
Here’s how to make easy bird feeders with lard or other solid fats.
Lard, suet or solid vegetable fat (this last option is great for vegetarian-friendly feeders)
Homemade bird seed mix. Wild *bird food, oats, breadcrumbs, sultanas, currants, unsalted peanuts (you don’t need all of these, a mixture of any is fine)
Empty, clean paper cups or yoghurt pots
String
To make your own bird feeders, start by mixing your dry ingredients in a bowl. We’ve found that a ratio of about 2 parts dry to 1 part fat/suet works well.
Melt the lard or suet in a saucepan, then add it to your dry ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed. Supervise children very carefully while doing this. I let mine do some mixing, but handle the heating and pouring myself to avoid any risk of burns.
Once your ingredients are well-mixed, leave them to cool a
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