Homemade Winter Birdseed Cakes

Birds love birdseed a la carte, but these birdseed cakes one-up run-of-the-mill birdseed by adding energy-dense fat that birds need during cold winter months. There’s no happier sight than an array of blue and red birds dotting the bare trees in your backyard while you’re snugly enjoying the holidays. Here’s how to extend the invitation.

Ingredients:
1 cup lard
¼ cup striped sunflower seeds
¼ cup black oil sunflower seeds
¼ cup safflower seeds
¼ cup milo
¼ cup nyjer seed
¾ cup oatsOptional: Add dried apricots, currants, and raisins.
Optional: Add dried apricots, currants, and raisins.

Method:
Melt lard in a small pot over low heat. Combine all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. When melted, pour the lard into the mixing bowl and mix well. Pour the mixture into fun, winter-themed cookie cutters on a sheet tray and freeze around 4 hours, until hard.

Cut your suet into small blocks that will fit comfortably in a platform feeder for birds to nibble on. Save leftovers wrapped in wax paper in the freezer.

Watch the northern cardinal, Carolina chickadee, American goldfinch, mourning dove, and many others flock for a bite to eat.

For more on birdwatching, check out our field guide to Texas birds.