Wild Bird Fanatics is proud to be associated with C&S Wild Bird Specialty Products to bring you a broad range of quality SUETS in a GOOD BETTER BEST repertoire that is reasonably priced, conservation friendly and eliminates the mess and odor of home production. C&S is a member of the Wild Bird Feeding Industry, a group dedicated to promoting responsible feeding, creating alliances, removing barriers, safeguarding grains and enhancing the wild bird feeding experience for consumers.
What is suet?
The foundation of Suet begins with animal fat. It is the most concentrated source of energy you can offer wild birds. C&S Suet is made with only the highest quality processed beef kidney fat. Special processing removes impurities that cause low melting points and spoilage problems.
What are the differences between Suet Treat and Suet Delight products?
Treats are a poured product and will become soft and pliable at around 100 degrees (F). Delights are refined even further and pressed to produce a "No Melt" suet that can be fed during the hottest temperatures. Both are offered at various price points to meet the needs of our customers and the birds they love.
Why do birds eat suet?
Suet is a high-energy source of wild bird food. Birds have high metabolic rates; it is not unusual for birds to consume 1/4 to 1/3 of their body weight a day! Offering suet, mixed with the highest quality grains, nuts, fruits, insects and flavored pellets provides a high caloric energy source. Wild Birds LOVE Suet; it is one of the first foods wild birds will offer their young. Suet is also favored when temperatures fall and wild birds need all the energy they can get to maintain body temperature and ensure survival. Mortality rates are high among birds; feeding suet is one step people can take to help reverse the trend of our decreasing wild bird populations.
When do birds eat Suet?
Birds feed most actively first thing in the morning and just before nightfall. Suet is an important part of a well-balanced diet, which gives birds the energy burst they need to make it through spring nesting, breeding, incubation and raising young, migration and chilly winter nights. The wide variety and product quality offered though Wild Bird Fanatics and our partner, C&S, make Suet an extremely desirable food source for our many feathered friends all year long.
How do I offer suet to the wild birds in my backyard?
Suet is traditionally fed in vinyl-coated wire cages. They are inexpensive and durable. Wire dimensions vary depending on how starling or squirrel resistant you want your feeder to be and we even offer a suet Haven to keep the big birds out. The cages, or baskets, hold from one to several C&S Suet Cakes or Bricks. The cages may be hung from branches, tree trunks, or hooks. There are also several designs available combining wire with wood or plastic. Click here to visit our selection of suet feeders.
When do I feed suet?
ALL YEAR ROUND!!! In the past, people fed suet only in the fall and winter, due to poor quality suets that were not compatable with hot weather and misconceptions about feeding wild birds in general. Winter is a good time for the beginner to start feeding because most trees are bare of foliage making the birds very visible. You are also more apt to see birds in flocks in the winter time. You will have constant activity on your feeders as they flit back and forth for quick snacks during their busy day. Attracting wild birds to your backyard is easy when their favorite foods are offered on a consistent basis and birds will be enticed to nest where there is an ample food supply, water and cover to raise their young. Year round feeding allows you to observe and enjoy wild birds when they are the most active and colorful and they will return year after year when they know there is a dependable source of quality food.
What bird species eat suet?
If you have never offered Suet, you have been missing out on bird species and activity that you never knew existed and you will be in for a treat! Common birds that eat suet are downy, hairy, red-bellied, and pileated woodpeckers. Chickadees, northern flickers, nuthatches, and starlings are also avid suet eaters. By adding Suet to your wild bird's menu, you will also attract wrens, warblers, thrushes, brown creepers, brown thrashers, mocking birds and bluejays. You can also attract orioles, pine siskins, titmice, and the ever popular bluebird. No feeding station is complete without suet!
There are so many choices where do I begin?
Just pick one--or try several and let the birds be your guide! Ingredients vary from peanuts to papaya, hot pepper to almond, berry to cherry, and raisin to insect. Special blends are available for specific wild bird species including Oriole, Bluebird and Woodpecker.
Hot Pepper sounds dangerous, is this safe?
Yes, and birds love it! The really great thing about Hot Pepper is that Squirrels don't appreciate the spicier side of life. If you want to disuade squirrels from raiding your suet feeder, offer Hot Pepper.
