Thinking Outside The Feeder(ARA) - When you think of a bird feeder, you inevitably envision a tube or hopper feeder hanging from the maple tree in the backyard, right beside the old tire swing. It's a nice vision to have, but a little narrow-sighted. While birds and other outdoor pets love to eat seeds, fruit and nuts from a bird feeder, they also like to mix up their diet (much like humans).
Giving your outdoor pets some variety in their dining choices is easier than you might think. One of the most popular "alternative feeding" methods is suet. By definition, suet is white animal fat used to make foods like puddings and mincemeat. When it's used to feed outdoor pets, seeds, nuts and fruit are often suspended in the suet and it is formed into a square or rectangular block.
Birds love suet, especially those that prefer high fat diets (such as woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, jays and many other songbirds). You can make suet yourself out of ground beef, but it can be a messy, greasy process. It's also a lot of work.
Instead, most outdoor pet enthusiasts buy prepared suet products at their local wild bird food retailer (lawn and garden centers, grocery stores and pet shops are all good places to look). Wild Delight is one of the nation's most popular brands of premium suet, with three varieties that are full of the stuff birds love: Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Chickadee Suet, Gourmet Suet and Nut N' Berry Suet. All are jumbo sized and made with a wonderful cherry scent.
The easiest way to give suet to your outdoor pets is by using a "suet feeder." These are small "cages" made especially to hold the suet blocks snugly in place while allowing birds and other outdoor pets to consume the tasty suet, seeds, nuts and fruit inside.
You can feed suet almost anywhere that you feed outdoor pets. They work especially well in the winter, when fat is at a premium for these birds and suet itself tends to hold its shape the best. Don't let that discourage you from putting suet out in the summer, though. Good suet is made to take summer's heat without melting or going rancid.
Another feeding option that is gaining popularity is called an "outdoor pet food block." These blocks are made up of outdoor pet food pressed into easy-to-distribute blocks. Most are about the size of a cordless phone. They are very easy to use. In fact, you can hang or place them almost anywhere that birds and other outdoor pets can get to them.
These blocks are almost always a hit with your local bird population (Wild Delight sells a good variety of these as well - try their Special Finch Block to attract finches, for example). Birds love to land right on the block and peck away at the ingredients contained within. One of the nicest parts of these outdoor pet food blocks is that you don't need to maintain a feeder. They serve as their own feeder! After birds greedily consume the block, just replace it with another - no fuss. It's a nice alternative for those who love outdoor pets but have limited space or time.
Finally, you can get yourself an outdoor "finch sock." This is a cloth tube made of a tight mesh material that allows just enough room for finches to pull out one of their favorite foods - Nyjer seeds. You can buy them filled or you can buy them and fill them yourself.
Whether you choose suet, blocks or finch socks, your outdoor pets are going to love the change of pace. In fact, you may attract birds and other visitors that are new to your yard - and for people who love the outdoors and the wildlife that we share it with, there is no greater treat. To find out more, go online to www.wilddelight.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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