Tallow is a popular food for a variety of birds. Birds that enjoy it include blue jays, tits, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, and wrens.
Tallow is the tough fat around the kidneys or loins of beef. Birds easily digest animal fat and it gives them a huge boost, especially during the winter months when food can be scarce. It’s a high-energy food that can actually be offered to your feathered friends all year long.
If you choose to offer suet during the summer months, make sure it is not raw suet. Raw suet can spoil quickly if temperatures are above freezing, and temperatures above 90 degrees will generally cause it to melt. A suet that has been “rendered” may work through the summer, but be aware that it can affect the consistency of your suet. Rendering involves melting the sebum and removing impurities, which helps it to be preserved for a longer period of time.
If it softens or melts, it can affect the waterproofing of a bird’s feathers, and birds generally do not feed on tallow that has melted or been compromised by the elements. Another concern is that the melted tallow can coat a bird’s belly, which can cause a dangerous situation during the nesting season when the birds are raising their young. A bird that has tallow on its belly feathers may inadvertently cover its eggs. If the eggs are coated with the oils from the sebum, this can close the small spills that allow the growing embryo to receive oxygen.
The placement of the tallow will help overcome the drawbacks of spoiled or melted tallow. Choose an area for your suet feeder in a shady or cooler spot. If shade isn’t available, consider adding a baffle or protective cover that blocks out the sun and the elements.
Offering your guests winged suet cakes instead of larger suet blocks can also be an option to help prevent spoilage. Suet cakes are usually smaller portions and will help eliminate wasted suet as the birds can completely consume the suet in a shorter period of time. Freezing suet cakes can also help them stay fresh longer. If you have a block of suet, you can cut it into smaller pieces and freeze the excess until needed.
Tallow is available in numerous forms and varieties. Tallow forms include balls, crumbs, granules, plugs, and strips. The balls are similar to cakes and can be used in large bird feeders. Crumbs and pellets are similar in that they are both bite-sized pieces that can be used in trays or platform feeders. Plugs are used for log-style bird feeders to give certain types of “sticky” birds, for example woodpeckers, a more natural feeding surface. Lastly, shreds are small, thin pieces of tallow that mimic the consistency and size of worms or insects. Strips can also be served on a tray, platter, or platform feeder.
Tallow also comes in various flavors. It can be mixed with fruits, insects, nuts, seeds and even hot pepper. Some varieties of suet also come in a mix of flavors like fruit and nuts. If you are looking to attract a certain type of bird, be sure to research what flavor that type of bird prefers.
In short, if you’re looking to add variety to your backyard feeder offerings, suet is a great addition! Remember, if you choose to use suet during the summer months, freeze it before setting it outside and find a cool, shady spot to hang your suet feeder. Using suet will be a welcome offering to many types of birds that may visit your backyard and is a great addition to any backyard bird buffet!
