Why A Suet Bird Feeder Is A Great Choice For Your Bird Habitat

Table of Contents

Why A Suet Bird Feeder

A suet bird feeder is perfect wild birds. These bird feeders are easy to prepare and will never spill. Most of all, birds love it. A suet bird feeder is very economical and it doesn’t cost much to refill.

At the end of the summer season, food becomes less plentiful, especially in northern, colder climates. Birds will adapt their diets to what is available to eat and what they need to sustain themselves during the cold weather. As wild birds adjust to the changing weather conditions, suet can play an important role in ensuring their survival. Suet helps birds both prepare for the winter and sustain themselves during the long, cold winter months.

A Suet Bird Feeder Helps Birds During The Winter

For wild birds that make the journey to warmer climates during the winter, suet can help sustain them. These feeders provide energy and sustenance for the long flight south. Along the way, migratory birds can stop and refuel, and suet is the perfect food to do this.

For non-migratory birds that don’t travel south for the winter, suet can be equally as important. As food becomes scarce in the cold, local birds become more dependent on the food sources you supply. Suet is packed with energy and nutrients, helping the local flock survive the winter. In cold weather, non-migratory birds expend more energy generating body heat, further lowering their energy reserves. These weather conditions, along with an inadequate diet, weaken birds’ immune systems. That’s why suet encourages general health while providing the energy needed to survive the winter.

What Nutrients Can A Suet Bird Feeder Provide?

Suet comes from the animal fat that constitutes and important source of calories and energy for birds. Animal fats are more concentrated and provide a more concentrated form of energy and calories than carbohydrates, such as seeds, corn or nuts.

Suet is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E and K, vitamins that help bolster birds’ immune systems, fight of disease and grow.

Types Of Suet For Your Feeder

You can feed birds suet all year long, not just in winter. Some varieties of suet are fortified with other ingredients, such as fruits, nuts and seeds. Many types of suet will not melt in the hot weather, so you can provide a suet bird feeder all year round. Remember, the more types of food you offer the neighborhood flock, the more birds will visit your backyard!

Suet is chock full of protein, calories and vitamins to help sustain wild birds. This is crucial when activities such as flying, breeding and nesting must continue, even in the winter months. Get your suet bird feeder today and start providing a year-round source of food to your neighborhood flock!

The Best Suet Bird Feeder

After much research, the best suet bird feeder we can recommend is the Woodlink Going Green Large Premier Bird Feeder. This bird feeder features a very sturdy design and holds two suet cakes, which means less frequent re-filling. If you prefer to feed only one cake, you can do so by filling only one of the cages on either side of the feeder. This feeder does not come with a pole, but you can buy one here. The roof on this feeder ensures bird food will not spoil.

Customers report seeing Morning Doves, Cardinals and Magpies using this bird feeder, so you will attract a wide variety of species. The fact that this feeder is made of plastic makes it easier to clean. We recommend cleaning your feeder at least once a month using a solution of 1 part bleach 9 parts hot water. Make sure to rinse the feeder thoroughly after cleaning with bleach. This feeder is made of 90% recycled materials, so by purchasing this feeder, your will also help the environment.

Read on to find out about more suet bird feeder choices!

Traditional Wire Mesh Suet Feeder

This is the Squirrel-X Squirrel proof traditional wire mesh suet bird feeder. If you already have experience with bird feeders, you know how important it is to keep unwanted squirrels away from your birds. A caged bird feeder is the best way to do that. Caged bird feeders such as this one can also help keep chipmunks at bay and are ideal for attracting smaller bird species to your yard.

This model is durable and weather proof for year round use. Another great feature of this bird feeder is its price; at under $25, it won’t break the bank. This suet bird feeder can hold up to two cakes of suet, so you won’t need to re-fill it that often.

Upside Down Suet Bird Feeder

An upside down suet bird feeder allows the first to eat the suet from the bottom. This bird feeder is great for attracting woodpeckers, birds that don’t mind eating upside down. The design will deter other, undesirable birds, such as starlings and grackles. This one is also great for nuthatches and chickadees! This suet bird feeder is eco-friendly and made from recycled material that won’t rot. In addition, it has room for four cakes of suet!

Plug Feeder

Another type is the plug feeder. Buy plugs of suet, put them in the feeder holes and place the feeder in your backyard. After reviewing many types of suet bird feeders, we cannot recommend the plug variety, because they do not deter squirrels. In addition, many customers report that they attract woodpeckers only with difficulty and that they squirrels chew these up. If you do decide on this feeder, make sure you place out of reach of squirrels!

Feeder Placement And Care

Place your suet bird feeder about 5′ off the ground and close to a tree. A bird feeder pole is an excellent idea to ensure your feeder is out of reach of predators. Most birds that feed on suet also feed on insects that live in trees. Like a bird bath, placing the feeder near a tree will also shield the suet from the sun and give the birds a quick escape route if there are predators lurking nearby. Monitor your feeder closely and re-fill as often as required. Don’t forget to clean your bird feeder at least once a month with a mild, non-toxic soap and warm water.

Which Species Of Birds Will Visit Your Feeder

Chickadees, bluebirds, woodpeckers, mockingbirds, warblers, titmice, kinglets, nuthatches, jays, wrens, starlings,are just a few of the species of birds that will visit your suet bird feeder.

Put A Suet Bird Feeder In Your Backyard

Offer suet to your neighborhood flock and you will provide a great source of energy and calories all year round. You will help birds survive the difficult winter and remain healthy for years to come.