Bird Treat Recipes

Freezer Bird Treats

To make freezer treat recipes, start by saving stale bread and cereal, mushy fruit, old nuts, and fatty meat scrapes such as chicken skin or fat trimmed from roasts. Separate these ingredients in individual containers in the freezer, then combine them according to the freezer treats recipes below.

Bluebird Mixture

2 parts from fruit bag

2 parts chopped suet

1 part from bread bag

1 part from meat bag

1/2 part cornmeal (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Spread on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refreeze until hard. Pour into resealable bags. Serve in an open tray feeder. This is also a favorite of mockingbirds and wrens.

Woodpecker Favorites

2 parts from bread bag

1 part from meat bag

1 part chopped suet

1/2 part from nut bag

Pour into large bowl and break apart chunks. Work ingredients until they are reasonably blended and the mixture clings together. The suet will melt as you work, providing the binding agent. But if the mixture seems too dry and crumbles, add some peanut or corn oil. Mold into balls or corncob size logs. Serve on a spiked feeder or put into a mesh bag and hang from a tree branch. This is also a favorite of chickadees, jays, nuthatches and titmice.

Other Bird Treats

Fruity Mix

2 cups raisins

2 cups dried cherries

2 cups almonds, pecans walnuts or other nuts

1 cup prunes

1 cup peanuts

1 cup dried squash or melon seeds

Coarsely chop fruits and nuts. Pour all the ingredients into a bucket or large bowl and stir to combine. Store leftover mix in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry place.Note: To chop dried fruit more easily into beak-size bites, use a sharp knife and dip in cornmeal when fruit begins to stick to it.

Chickadee Delight

2 cups beef fat trimmings, ground or finely chopped

1 cup hulled sunflowers

1 cup pine nuts

1 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup shelled almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Spread the chopped fat on a tray in a single, shallow layer and freeze until stiff. Break into small pieces with hands, and pour into a resalable plastic bag. Return to freezer and freeze overnight. Dump suet pieces into large bowl, and stir in other ingredients. Pour into open tray feeder in a shallow layer.

Above recipes recommended by Julie L. for attracting a variety of birds.

Bird Brain Bread

1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)

1 cup birdseed

1/2 cup powdered milk

1-1/2 Tblsp. baking powder

1/4 cup lard

1-1/2 to 2 cups water

Mix together. Pour into mini-loaf pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until done. Store in refrigerator/freezer until ready to use.

5-Minute Suet Recipe

1 cup lard

1 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cup flour

1-1/2 cup cornmeal (plain, do not use box mixes)

1/3 to 1/2 cup oatmeal

optional additions:

Nuts, seeds, raisins

Mix together lard and peanut butter. Microwave for approximately one minute (adjust as necessary). Add flour and cornmeal. Stir until stiff. Add chopped raisins, nuts , or seeds as desired.

This recipe is great to fill suet logs or spread on bark of trees. For homemade suet cakes you may wish to add oatmeal. Spread mixture into a shallow cake pan and freeze. Cut into squares for suet feeders; or spread mixture into old suet cake container to shape. Store in freezer until for ready use. (Recipe provided by Birds Eye View)

Additional recipes and more can be found from the Birds-I-View (http://birds-i-view.biz/) website.