Feeding Wild Birds Seasonal Checklist
If you enjoy feeding wild birds in your neighborhood then you know how important it is to feed them the proper diet during each season of the year.
While many people feed suet cakes year round to the wild bird community it is not necessarily what the wild birds need in their diet year round. We have put together a simple breakdown of what wild birds should be fed during each season: Winter, Fall, Spring and Summer. You may be surprised by what you learn and what wild birds need during certain times of the year.
Winter Wild Bird Feeding
Winter is when wild birds are at their coldest. Temperatures can fall below 0 degrees in certain areas. Water and food is not as easy to find and wild birds need to keep warm and full to make it through the sometimes harsh Winter weather. This is the perfect time of year to feed your neighborhood wild birds suet cakes. The high fat content in a suet cake will keep them warm by giving them added fat on their bodies. Feeding suet cakes that are high in fat and protein will sustain them through the Winter months.
Some of our free recipes that are great for Winter feeding are:
Adding nuts and peanut butter to your suet cakes will give added protein and fat during the cold Winter months.
Spring Wild Bird Feeding
Spring is mating and nesting season for wild birds. They will be returning from the warmer climate regions and they will be foraging for nesting materials as well as food that will sustain them during the mating season. The food available to wild birds in the woods is still scarce so feeding suet cakes, fruit, nectar and birdseed is a good idea.
Spring is a good time of year to offer nesting materials such as: yarn, hair from brushes, feathers and pet fur as well. You can place these in an empty suet cage and hang on a tree for the wild birds to find. They will use these materials when making their nests for their babies to stay cozy and warm.
Some of our free suet cake recipes that are great for Spring feeding are:
Wild birds LOVE to eat mealworms, eggshells and raisins during the Spring.
Summer Wild Bird Feeding
During the Summer months weather is mostly warm and sunny and the wild birds have plenty to eat in the wild. Summer is a great time of year to switch gears and start storing your suet cakes in the freezer and start adding fresh fruit to your suet feeders and cages. You can cut an orange in half and place the two halves into a suet cage. Birds will LOVE this and will flock to your feeder all Summer long.
Also, do not forget to put out your hummingbird feeders. Hummingbirds are out in full force during the hot Summer months and they LOVE to eat nectar.
If you would still like to feed suet cakes during the Summer months please place the feeders in the shade, the North side of a tree or house and only use recipes that are OK for Hot weather such as:
During the Summer months we always create suet cakes, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer to use when Fall and Winter arrive. The wild birds need the extra fat in their diet during the colder months more than the hotter months.
Fall Wild Bird Feeding
Fall is the time of year when wild birds start to find their way to their Winter homes. Some birds need to live in a warmer climate year round. Hummingbirds for example can only live where the temperatures are warm so you may not see any around for several months, but do not worry, they will be back.
With the temperatures starting to drop, especially during the evening and nights wild birds are starting to look for food in more places than just the ground. Keeping your feeders filled is a great way to keep your local wild birds happy. You can also start to feed suet cakes again. Keeping in mind the temperatures outside as you do not want to have a beautiful homemade suet cake melt outside if the weather is still too warm. Some of the suet cake recipes we recommend for Fall are:
