What is the best thing to feed birds in the winter?

2 minute(s) read Categories Recipes Urban gardening DIY Projects
A small bird feeds in winter, perched on a ball of suet shaped like a Christmas wreath.

During the warmer months, birds find plenty of fruits, seeds, nuts and grains in the garden to feed on. But during winter, finding food is not as easy for our feathered friends. 

If you feed them in the summer, continue doing so if possible, even if it means moving the feeders closer to make them more accessible (keep them 1 to 3 metres away from windows to prevent birds from injuring themselves by flying into the glass). Since birds have their routines, your feeder is part of their route during the warmer months. A sudden interruption during a period of intense cold can make things more complicated for them.

In winter, in addition to food containing black sunflower seeds and peanuts, suet balls are an excellent option. Because they provide a lot of calories per small portion, they help birds maintain their body temperature during the coldest weather. They are also frost-resistant, won't rot and are perfect for a wide variety of birds. 

Easy suet ball recipe to make at home

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (250 ml) diced bacon, suet or lard
  • 1 cup (250 ml) unsalted crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 cups (500 ml) quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups (500 ml) yellow cornmeal (granulated #120)
  • 1 cup (250 ml) flour
  • 1 cup (250 ml) birdseed, including black sunflower seeds

You can add more sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts, oat flakes, millet, corn flakes, chopped apples or pears, currants or other chopped dried fruits, and even mealworms. 

This allows for a varied nutritional intake and attracts a wide range of birds, such as the Bohemian waxwing, which appreciates the addition of fruits. If you wish to add ingredients to the recipe, the ideal ratio is one part bacon, suet or lard to two parts dry ingredients. 

A woman carries a tray filled with birdseed in orange peels.

How to make balls to feed birds?

  1. In a saucepan, melt the bacon and peanut butter, stirring frequently.
  2. Remove from the heat and add the dry ingredients in the saucepan.
  3. Mix well, then let the mixture cool until it is malleable.
  4. With your hands, shape the mixture into cubes or balls of your desired size. Insert a piece of wire or jute twine about 50 centimetres long into each cube or ball. The wire or twine should pass completely through the ball and come out at the top.  
  5. Insert a wooden stick or coffee stirrer into the bottom for birds to perch on.
  6. If necessary, refrigerate to harden.
  7. Use the excess string to hang in the garden.
  8. Wrap any portions not to be used immediately in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer.

TIPS: Instead of shaping balls, you can also put the mixture in a recycled plastic container or an aluminum mold with a hole drilled in it for the string. Once the mixture has hardened, unmold it and hang it in the garden. 

Another very decorative option is to place the food in an orange peel or coconut husk. Whichever option you choose, make sure the birds can land or perch on something (wire mesh, a wooden stick, a small branch, etc.) when they come to feed. 

CAREFUL! Do not use plastic netting like the kind used to sell onions or clementines in supermarkets. Birds get their feet caught in it and become trapped.

A woman hangs bird food from snowy conifer branches.

These homemade suet balls are an easy and fun way to care for your feathered visitors. Make a few and watch them in your garden this winter. To learn more, discover how to attract birds to your garden and make your space even more welcoming.