Whilst we may not get snow this Christmas time, we can expect our gardens to be cold and frosty over the festive period and the hard ground makes food hard to come by for our garden birds. So why not help out and treat your feathered friends to some tasty festive foods to tantalise their taste buds!
Whilst it’s tempting to leave out our leftovers, Maria Kincaid, in-house ornithologist for FeatherSnap, the Wi-Fi enabled smart bird feeder that connects people to nature, warns us this may not be good for the birds. She comments:
“While Christmas cake has nuts and dried fruits, you don’t want to give the birds a cake soaked in alcohol and the same goes for mince pies, as these have too much sugar. Bubble and squeak, traditionally served on boxing day made with leftover sprouts and potatoes should also be avoided, because of the sodium content – you generally want to give birds unsalted foods. A better choice would be to prepare some simple bird treats inspired by our Christmas dishes.”
Birdie Num Nums!
Here, Maria suggests her Christmas dinner menu for the birds, along with a collection of festive bird recipes.
Mince Pie Garland
Dried or fresh orange slices
Apple slices
Cranberries
Raisins
Dried currants
Suet balls
Gather your ingredients and a needle and thread (you can use an unsharpened darning needle if doing this activity with children). Thread your needle and start adding your ingredients in whatever festive order you like! When it’s reached the length of your liking, hang it in the garden and wait for your bird visitors to arrive!
Christmas Cake Ornaments
Dried fruit like raisins, sultanas, currants, and apricot
Walnuts or peanuts (make sure to use unsalted!)
Sunflower seeds
Peanut butter, suet butter, or other nut butter of choice (use unsalted and unsweetened if using peanut butter or nut butter!)
Pine cone (optional)
If you’re using a pinecone, spread the pinecone with the nut or suet butter with a spatula or butter knife, and roll in a mixture of your dried fruits, nuts, and sunflower seeds. Attach a string at the top of the pinecone and hang it out for the birds to enjoy!
If you’re not using a pinecone, mix your suet or nut butter of choice with your dried fruits, nuts, and sunflower seeds until it’s well combined, and sticks together when squished. You can then press it into a mould like a jar ring, cookie cutter, or even a lined muffin tin. If you’re using a mould, make sure you add a hole for a string! If you’re using a muffin tin, add a string to the centre and press the mixture around it, so you have a way to hang it. Then, put it in the freezer for a few hours before hanging it where your bird friends can find it!
Warble and Chirp (Bubble and Squeak, bird edition!)
It’s important that we not feed birds heavily salted or seasoned items – high levels of salt in a bird’s diet can be quite bad for them, so it’s best to avoid it. So, if you’ve got some leftover sprouts, parsnips, or potatoes that either haven’t been cooked or have been cooked and not seasoned, set them out for your feathered friends and see if they’d like a snack.
Don’t have any leftovers? Offer some carrots, corn, or peas – you can even find these already frozen and cut into manageable pieces – just thaw and set out!
Visit www.uk.feathersnapcam.com to start your journey into the wonderful world of birds with FeatherSnap.
Everything you need to begin your birding adventure:
- The FeatherSnap Scout – RRP £159.99
- FeatherSnap Wi-Fi Subscription – RRP £5.99/month or £49.99 annually
Simply download the user-friendly FeatherSnap App and you’re ready to go!
