Simple Cold-Weather Snacks for Birds
Why not throw a party that is truly for the birds? Here are four simple snacks you can offer. Enlist the kids for these fun projects and begin bird-watching together!
String 'em along!
Pop up some corn. If you have a crackling fire in your fireplace, you might make it there. Otherwise, the stove top, electric popper or microwave varieties will do. Choose either plain or buttered; most birds are not picky!
Try to avoid the cheesy or other flavored varieties, however, as the chemical contents may harm the birds. Gee, why do we buy this stuff for ourselves?
Using a large needle and thread, make strings of popcorn. (It feels like Christmas all over again, doesn't it?) Drape your popcorn strings all over a tree in the yard. Watch the birds begin to arrive for this crunchy cold-weather treat!
Leave 'em hanging!
Pick up pine cones outdoors. Use a blunt knife to cover the pine cones with peanut butter. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter are both acceptable for this project. Pour bird seed into a pie pan, and roll sticky pine cones in it. Tie a loop of string onto each pine cone, and hang it from a tree branch. Within minutes, your chirping guests should begin to arrive!
Corny but cool!
If you eat corn on the cob for dinner, be sure to save those empty corn cobs for the birds. Grab several sturdy paper clips. Unbend one end of each clip, and poke it into a corn cob. Use the other end to hang the cobs on a tree outside. What a perfect picnic for a fowl friend!
No sweat!
Most grocery and discount stores offer suet blocks for sale. Look in the pet food section. You can hang a couple of these in your tree as well. Birds love this!
Look out!
What good is a party, if the host doesn't stick around?
Grab your binoculars, and get ready for some bird-watching. Have your camera ready for some avian photography!
Be sure to pick a secret spot, so that you can watch the birds, as they enjoy the treats you have provided. You might want to pick up a field guide to local birds, or do a little online research too. See how many different kinds of birds you can spot and name!
Published by Linda Ann Nickerson - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle and Sports
Linda Ann Nickerson brings decades of reporting and a globally minded Midwestern perspective to a host of topics, balancing human interest with history, hard facts and often humor. View profile
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- Enlist the kids for these fun projects and begin bird-watching together!
9 Comments
Post a CommentLove these.
I love to feed the birds. Great ideas!
Such creative ideas!
Hadn't thought of the corn cob idea!
These are great ideas! I love to feed the birds. The little one and I can spend hours watching them too. Thanks!
I love this article and its artful presentation. I saw cardinals in the yard this morning. It was such a stark contrast with the whopping 3 inches of snow that's still on the ground. It reminded me to feed them again. I love to have them hanging around. Great article.
I'm definitely going to try some of these!
Excellent suggestions
I always like to make stuff with my preschooler for the birds in the winter..... they enjoy it as well as the birds! Good article..