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With i of our focuses this year on studying more than local nature we're making sure that our bird feeder is well stocked with food. From our DIY Fatty Balls for Birds to some other simple recipes nosotros're hoping to get a range of different birds in the garden this yr and aid them survive the winter. So as nosotros're doing it nosotros thought we would share these simple bird food recipes that we are using at abode.

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What You'll Observe on This Page

Wild Bird Nutrient Recipes to Make

Our favourite recipe is our easy fatty balls for birds. It'south so unproblematic that kids tin can do it and we've seen an increment in the seed-eating birds in the garden.

homemade bird food on the bird feeder in the garden

Just, there are lots of other things that yous can feed the birds that come into the garden without having to head to the store.

blue tit hanging on a bird feeder with homemade suet balls inside one of the many bird feeds you can make at home

Fruit and Berries

Whether y'all plant a bush that volition provide berries for the birds in the winter or y'all put out some apples birds beloved fruit and berries.

Good plants to grow for their berries are:

  • Holly
  • Rowan
  • Domestic dog Rose
  • Hawthorn
  • Elder
  • Honeysuckle
  • Ivy

Check out our found guides for easy seeds to grow with kids and what to plant to attract ladybirds to your garden.

chaffinch on a bush eating the red berries in autumn

The added do good for growing these plants (choice native varieties to your country) is that the birds will help spread the seeds as they swallow the berries and more will grow.

If you accept dried fruit such as raisins and cranberries so once you lot soak overnight you can chop them up and put them out for the birds to bask, or even mix them into the suet assurance recipe above.

black bird eating an apple from the tree in winter

An apple either grated or chopped in half and hung on a bird feeder is great for them to swallow equally well.

Peanuts

One of my favourite activities to practice with my mum as a kid was to thread the monkey nuts to create a garland for our tree that the birds could eat at Christmas.

Monkey nuts are the peanuts in their shell and are platonic for feeding the birds and squirrels.

garden bird eating monkey nut peanuts hung in a tree

Nosotros had difficultly finding them in the stores for a while, just more than recently we've been able to get large bags from the super market and this has been perfect for adding to our bird feeder.

Sunflower Seeds

Nosotros grow sunflowers every year and instead of throwing away the heads once they have bloomed we add them to the bird feeder or leave them throughout the autumn months for the birds to feed on the seeds.

goldfinch eating the seeds from a sunflower head

Water

Don't forget to exit out some water, we have a bowl on the ground that the domestic dog uses whilst in the garden and over the winter months nosotros brand certain that it'due south full of h2o and so that the birds can employ it as well.

sparrow drinking water from a bowl

What not to feed the birds

There are some things that you really shouldn't put out for the birds.

Stale Staff of life

Bread isn't really recommended for birds as it doesn't take any nutrients that they can use. However, when the bread is stale or starts to go mouldy this is even worse.

The mould can be dangerous to the birds and crusade them to get sick, and so leave the stale staff of life to make some bread and butter pudding instead.

FREE Printable Bird Watching Journal

Looking to find the birds coming to the bird feed you have put out with the kids? And then why not head over and go our Gratis Printable Bird Watching Periodical!

Step by step guide to making suet balls with kids, a fun and essential winter wildlife activity for nature study and kindness challenges.

DIY Suet Balls Recipes for Feeding the Birds

A simple and easy recipe for suet assurance that kids as young as toddlers tin help you lot make.

Prep Time fifteen mins

Full Time 15 mins

Servings 12 Small Suet Balls

  • Bowl

  • Suet Ball Holder

  • Pour the suet into a bowl and add in your bird seed.

    Step by step guide to making suet balls with kids, a fun and essential winter wildlife activity for nature study and kindness challenges.

  • Mix well with your hands

    Step by step guide to making suet balls with kids, a fun and essential winter wildlife activity for nature study and kindness challenges.

  • At present accept a tennis ball size of the mix and squish and squash it together.

    Step by step guide to making suet balls with kids, a fun and essential winter wildlife activity for nature study and kindness challenges.

  • The warmth from your hands push your squishing and squeezing volition brand it compact and turn into a ball. My girl gave upwardly afterwards ball number iii but my son pushed on.

  • We made 12 balls in total half-dozen to use at present and 6 to use later every bit they volition shop well in a closed container.

  • Once you have them made add them to the fat brawl holder and position in the garden.

Keyword Bird Food, Preschool Activities, toddler activities

Let us know how it was!

More Nature Report Activities to Practise At Dwelling house

homemade nest box with a great tit going in that kids and you can make at home

Over the Autumn and Winter is an ideal fourth dimension to build and put up some nest boxes in your garden. Check out our DIY Nest Box that even young kids can help you make.

Wildlife gardening with kids building a log pile home

Create a dwelling house for wild fauna to live in over the winter using logs and unlike things from the garden. This is ideal for amphibians and reptiles that need protection from the elements. See our guide on creating a Gruffalo Log Pile Home for your nature area.

Pinterest image for kids nature study - what to feed the birds

Cerys Parker

Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, instructor, mum, and dwelling house educator from the Britain. She loves getting artistic, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or succulent recipes that you and your kids tin can melt together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.