As well as feasting on our garden berries, seeds and other natural food such as earthworms, caterpillars and beetles, birds seem to love energy-rich fat balls, which give them a calorie boost that may help them get through cold winter days and nights. You can buy fat balls in the shops but theyre easy to make at home. Simply mix kitchen scraps such as cheese, cake crumbs and dry porridge oats with melted lard or beef suet, and set in the fridge overnight.
Seed balls, also known as bird seed balls or fat balls, are a great way to provide food and nutrition for wild birds, especially during the winter months. Making your own homemade seed balls is easy, fun, and inexpensive. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about making seed balls that will attract a variety of bird species to your backyard.
What are Seed Balls?
Seed balls are compact balls made of seeds, providing a high-energy food source for birds. The seeds are bound together, often with a binding agent like fat or peanut butter, allowing you to easily hang or place the balls where birds can access them. Common seeds used include black oil sunflower, nyjer, millet, cracked corn, peanuts, and more.
Providing fat-rich foods helps birds maintain body heat and energy levels during cold winter months when natural food sources are scarce. Seed balls are a convenient way to serve up this nutrition in a compact package.
Benefits of Offering Seed Balls for Birds
Offering seed balls in your yard provides the following benefits:
- Provides essential fats, protein, and carbohydrates birds need in winter
- Attracts a variety of desirable bird species to your yard
- Gives birds energy they need during migration or harsh weather
- Allows you to easily supplement natural food sources
- Is inexpensive and easy for anyone to make at home
- Lets you control ingredients based on the birds you want to attract
Chickadees, nuthatches woodpeckers blue jays, cardinals, finches, sparrows, wrens, and more will frequent yards offering these nutritious treats.
How to Make Simple Seed Balls
Making basic seed balls takes just a few simple ingredients:
Ingredients
- Bird seed (black oil sunflower, nyjer, millet, cracked corn, etc.)
- Solid vegetable shortening or lard
Instructions:
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Start by mixing a 2:1 ratio of bird seed to shortening/lard in a bowl. For example, 2 cups seed to 1 cup shortening.
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Melt the shortening/lard over low heat until liquid.
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Pour the melted mixture over the bird seed and stir until well coated.
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Allow the mixture to cool until firm enough to handle.
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Use your hands to form compact balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter.
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Place balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate until hardened.
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Once hardened, place seed balls in mesh bags or tie with string to hang outside for birds.
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Hang in trees or from bird feeder stands and watch the birds enjoy!
It’s that easy. The shortening helps the seed stick together while also providing valuable fats and energy. Feel free to customize your seed mixes to attract your favorite backyard birds.
Recipes for Seed Balls Using Other Binders
While shortening is simple, you can also use these binders to make seed balls:
Peanut Butter Seed Balls
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 cups bird seed
- 1 cup cornmeal
Melt peanut butter and mix ingredients until blended. Form into balls and chill to harden.
Suet Seed Balls
- 1 cup rendered suet or vegetable shortening
- 2 cups bird seed
- 1 cup cornmeal
Melt suet over low heat. Stir in ingredients and form into balls. Allow to cool completely before hanging outside.
Gelatin Seed Balls
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup warm water
- Bird seed
Mix gelatin with water and allow to thicken. Stir in seeds to fully coat. Shape into balls and place in fridge to set. Hang outside once hardened.
Cornmeal Dough Seed Balls
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- Bird seed
Mix dry ingredients. Add peanut butter and water, blending well to form a dough. Coat hands in flour and shape dough into balls, rolling in bird seed to coat. Place on a pan and refrigerate until firm.
Tips for Making Seed Balls
Follow these tips for making great seed balls every time:
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Use a 2:1 ratio of bird seed to fat/binder. Too much fat may smear feathers.
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Work quickly when shaping balls before mixtures harden. Refrigerate to speed up cooling time.
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Customize seed mixes with a variety of seeds, nuts, dried fruits to attract different bird species.
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Roll finished balls in extra seeds to provide an additional coating.
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Vary ball sizes – smaller for chickadees and larger for woodpeckers.
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Avoid using bacon grease or butter which can smear and mat feathers.
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Check balls frequently and replace any that look moldy or rotten.
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Store extra seed balls in the freezer until needed.
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Don’t offer seed balls in summer as the fat can spoil in warmer temps.
Where to Place Seed Balls for Birds
Look for these optimal places to hang or position your seed balls:
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Hang from tree branches, bird feeder stands, or shepherd hooks at least 5 feet off the ground.
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Place seed balls in mesh onion bags or nylon stockings to hang.
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wedge balls into the cracks of trees or shrubs.
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Spear balls onto branches or twigs.
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Place on tray bird feeders or platform feeders.
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Hang balls 3-4 feet apart to reduce squabbling.
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Position near trees, shrubs, or brush piles so birds have quick escape cover.
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Move balls periodically to different locations to keep birds interested.
Avoid placing seed balls on the ground where they can become waterlogged or accessed by squirrels or outdoor cats. Hang or elevate balls to make them easily accessible to birds.
Alternative Seed Ball “Recipes”
Looking to change up your seed balls? Try these creative alternatives:
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Coat dried pinecones with peanut butter and bird seed. Hang for the birds to eat off.
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Use cookie cutters to shape seed dough into fun shapes before chilling.
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Mold suet-based seed dough into wreaths for holiday feeding.
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Stuff orange halves or small apple cores with seed dough for built-in treats.
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Mix different seeds and nuts like sunflower chips, dried cranberries, peanuts, and millet.
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Add cooked oatmeal or granola to seed balls for extra grains and texture.
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Shape suet dough in mini muffin tins and remove once set for perfect spheres.
Use your imagination to dream up endless seed ball designs to amuse both you and your feathered friends!
Troubleshooting Common Seed Ball Problems
Here are some common issues and solutions for making great seed balls:
Problem: Balls fall apart or won’t stick together.
Solution: Increase the fat/binder ratio or refrigerate longer to harden.
Problem: Hardened balls are too crumbly to shape.
Solution: Microwave briefly to soften then work quickly to shape before cooling.
Problem: Seed balls get slimy, moldy, or rot outdoors.
Solution: Replace old balls frequently and avoid putting out when rain is forecast.
Problem: Seed coating falls off the balls.
Solution: Ensure fat is evenly distributed to fully coat seeds before shaping balls.
Problem: Birds won’t eat from seed balls.
Solution: Try different seed types, move to a new location, or replace with fresh balls.
With a little trial and error, you’ll get the hang of making enticing, nourishing seed balls your birds will gobble up in no time. Get creative with flavors, shapes, and binding ingredients to discover your birds’ favorites.
Crafting your own seed balls is an easy, fun way to supplement the diets of backyard birds during harsh weather when food is scarce. With just a few simple ingredients and techniques, you can whip up nutritious snacks loaded with essential fats, protein, and carbohydrates birds need to thrive. Hang balls from trees, shrubs, or feeder stands and enjoy watching a variety of bird species partake in the bounty. Get creative exploring new recipes and shapes to please both you and your feathered visitors. Homemade seed balls are sure to become a rewarding winter tradition for both you and the neighborhood birds.
Which birds benefit from fat balls?
While the jury is out on whether birds actually benefit from fat balls, they are popular with blue tits, great tits and long-tailed tits, house sparrows, blackbirds, robins, woodpeckers, nuthatches and blackcaps.
Try rehydrated raisins, currants and sultanas, small pieces of apple or pear, or grated cheese. Crushed peanuts can also be added.
Avoid using turkey fat, which doesnt set like suet and lard, and can coat birds feathers, preventing them from being able to fly. It can also spread disease. You should also refrain from using raisins and sultanas if you have a dog, as they are poisonous to them. Bear in mind that mealworms are harmful to hedgehogs, so only add these if dont have hedgehogs visiting your garden.
Step 3: make the fat balls
Make a hole in the bottom of a yoghurt pot and thread through a length of twine or string, then pack the pot with your warm fat mixture, to make fat balls.
How to make Supa-quick delish seed balls
FAQ
How to make homemade bird seed balls?
Combine one ounce of unflavored gelatin and cup of water in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then add 1 cups of any combination of seeds the birds in your yard enjoy. Try half and half black oil sunflower and safflower seeds. Mix well, until all seeds are coated with gelatin.
How do you make homemade seed balls?
Mix 5 parts clay with 1 part compost and 1 part seeds. Add a couple of drops of water (be careful not to add too much or it will be a gooey mess). Roll and knead the mixture into a ball. After you have thoroughly mixed the dough, flatten it out and cut into pieces. Roll the smaller pieces into little balls.
What can I use to bind bird seed together?
Add 1/3 cup of boiling water to the gelatin, stirring for a few minutes or until the gelatin is dissolved. This is the binder that keeps seeds together.
How to make bird seed balls without peanut butter?
- Suet or lard, softened
- Vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
- Sunflower seed butter, such as SunButter
- Coconut oil
- Other nut butter, such as almond butter
Can birdseed be used as seed balls?
However, there are other ways to present the birdseed to your bird, such as making it as seed balls. The traditional birdseed balls are usually mixed with lard as the primary ingredients, along with the others, to make nutritious seed balls for the bird. However, is there any alternative for lard as the fatty catalyst in making seed balls?
How do you make bird seed balls?
Warm the suet like before and add the peanut butter. Add the bird seed, rolled oats and cornmeal and mix well until combined. Place the mixture in the fridge to set a little. Once the mixture is workable, shape into balls. Put the balls into the fridge again until they’re firm. Hang the seed balls outside and watch the birds having some fun.
Can you make bird seed balls without lard?
The traditional birdseed balls use lard as the primary source of fat for the birds. But there are other alternatives such as suet and peanut butter which are also good sources of fats. For a birder like you, learning how to make bird seed balls without lard is excellent knowledge to have.
How to feed birds with seed balls?
Should you need to feed the birds, you can put the seed balls on the bird feeder and hand them to their exact location. Wait for the birds to consume everything before properly replenishing it with the other seed balls. Recipe No. 2 The next recipe is again will be using suet instead of the traditional lard as the source of fat.
Can you put birdseed in a bird feeder?
But most of the birders just buy bird seeds and put them directly into the bird feeder. However, there are other ways to present the birdseed to your bird, such as making it as seed balls. The traditional birdseed balls are usually mixed with lard as the primary ingredients, along with the others, to make nutritious seed balls for the bird.
How to make bird seed balls with vegetable suet & bird seeds?
The first recipe uses vegetable suet as the primary source of fat of the seed balls. It also needs bird seeds as the other ingredient. You will also need a cooking pan, mixing bowl, and stirring spoon for this recipe. The quantity of the ingredients will depend on you, but it should be one part vegetable suet and two parts bird seeds.