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You are here...   All About Care of Wild Birds   >   Feeding Wild Birds from Your Pantry

Feeding Wild Birds From Your Pantry...

From your pantry to bird feeders... it doesn't get more homemade than that. With the right ingredients and a little know-how, you can provide birds much needed nutrition and variety. And let's face it, that old saying "variety is the spice of life" holds true even for birds.

Don't get me wrong, commercial bird seed mixes are Ok in a pinch. Just be aware that unless you get a really, really, really good deal, you will probably be wasting your money. (Usually, a hefty percentage is cheap filler.)

By the way, before you can learn what to feed wild birds, you have to know what kind of wild birds visit your garden... and during which season. Find the answers with our easy-to-use resources from Feeding Wild Birds. (They're also listed in the red box in the left column.)

You also may find it helpful to know what ingredients attract which birds. We've prepared Pantry Foods Attract Which Birds... and it's FREE.

So with that said, let's take a look in your pantry for some inexpensive, every-day ingredients to mix up some bird food. Here's a tip... just use what's in your pantry. Otherwise, you defeat the whole purpose of saving money. Of course, if you can afford to purchase extra items then go for it. The birds will be most grateful!

These pantry ingredients also make  homemade bird food...

  • Stale bread, bread crumbs, and crackers
  • Graham crackers
  • Flour (whole wheat preferred)
  • Cornmeal or cornbread mix
  • Cream of wheat
  • Oatmeal
  • Dates
  • Raisins or currants
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Berries
  • Nuts
  • Shelled peanuts
  • Crunchy or creamy peanut butter
  • Molasses

You'll also need some string or twine or yarn... even a small branch or twigs will work. Something to mold or shape your bird treats will be helpful.

You will also need some rendered suet, black-oil sunflower seeds, and a small bag of commercial bird seed. Of course, these probably won't be stored in your pantry... unless you have one of those huge pantries we all dream about.

You may want to reconsider purchasing vs. handmade for one item. Suet is one of the more tedious bird foods to make from scratch. Just check out these instructions for homemade suet.

Ok, back to the recipes. You will be amazed at how simple (excluding suet) it is to prepare a basic bird food treat from your own pantry ingredients.

Once you master the Basic Recipe, start making your own creations.

 

Here is a Basic Bird Food Recipe made from normal pantry items...

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of rendered (melted) suet
  • 1 1/2 cups of chunky or smooth peanut butter

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of stale crushed bread, purchased bread crumbs (unseasoned), or crushed crackers (graham, unsalted "saltines", etc)
  • 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal

Morsels:

  • 1 cup of dried fruit (such as raisins, currants, cherries, blue berries, chopped dates, etc)
  • 1 cup of unsalted sunflower seed hearts, or unsalted, chopped raw nuts (such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc).

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, add the chunky peanut butter to the rendered (melted) suet while it is still warm. Stir until the peanut butter is melted
  2. Add about some of the dry ingredients to the morsels and stir until morsels are well coated.
  3. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the suet/peanut butter mixture.
  4. Add the coated morsels and stir everything well.
  5. Spoon the mixture into molds or onto a cookie sheet to cool.
  6. When the treats are thoroughly cooled, place some on platform bird feeders. Refrigerate or freeze the rest until needed.

Use the Basic Bird Food Recipe to create unlimited variations, such as...

Increase the rendered (melted) suet to 3 cups, lower the oatmeal to 1/2 cup, and substitute 1/2 cup of corn meal for the bread product.

Following this same ratio, use cream of wheat instead of cornmeal.

Try experimenting with crushed dry breakfast cereal instead of crushed crackers. Corn flakes would be a good choice... just don't use sugar-coated cereals.

If you aren't handy in the kitchen and all this seems a bit overwhelming, try both of these super-simple recipes...

Trail mix for wild song birds...

2 cups of raisins
2 cups of dried (not fresh), chopped fruit (apples, pears, bananas, etc)
1 cup of chopped prunes
2 cups of chopped nuts (unsalted almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, etc)
1 cup of dried melon, squash, or pumpkin seeds (always unsalted)

  • Stir the ingredients in a large bowl... that's it! Sprinkle the mix onto a platform bird feeder. Store left-overs in the refrigerator.

Shish-kabobs for wild song birds...

Ingredients: apples, oranges, pears, grapes, prunes, dried fruit, berries, summer squash or any other fresh fruits that you have around your kitchen or garden.

  • Slice into manageable sizes; poke a hole in the center of each piece; run a 3' to 4' piece of twine or string through your fruits and vegetables. Tie the kabob around a tree branch, or hang it on a bird feed pole.
  • You could also use twigs or small branches as skewers instead of the twine.

Acknowledgements:
 http://www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com/bird-food-recipes.html
(Presented by: Susan's Bird Gardens... http://www.susansbirdgardens.com

Too busy to create wild bird food from your pantry? You don't have to...

If you have no extra time like many super-busy folks, no problem! These last 2 recipes are perfect for kids to make... or the baby sitter. Here's an idea... what a perfect project for your kids' clubs. All Scout leaders, athletic coaches, and school teachers are hungry for group ideas. You'll be their hero...

Don't have kids? No problem... what about sewing clubs, cooking groups, block parties, book clubs, quilting clubs, and scrapbook clubs.

Here's a no-brainer... why not assemble some shish-kabobs while barbequing. Here's another one... take some Trail Mix on your next hike or camping trip. (Just be sure to bring lots because you'll want some, too.)

Well, have we convinced you that using every-day pantry ingredients is an easy and more economical way to feed wild song birds?

Don't forget the project ideas, and time savers for your entire family... including the tiny, feathered ones.

Acknowledgements:
 http://www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com/bird-food-recipes.html

 

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