Butter for the Birds…

We love to feed the birds!  It’s really a fun hobby and my whole family enjoys spotting new and unusual birds that visit our feeders!  We’re really just novices, but since we’ve been feeding birds for several years I suppose we HAVE learned a thing or two about what works for us in our yard.  Feed stores are on the “thumbs-up” list for both my husband and myself…a shopping trip that’s sure to be equally enjoyable for us both!  We find it fun to browse the new feeders and check out treats for all kinds of wildlife…and also investigate the protective features that keep out the critters we don’t feel like feeding!  And since my husband is pretty handy, he also likes to recreate some of the expensive feeder systems…I guess you could say he’s pretty good at DIY too!  It’s really nice to come up with cheaper alternatives since feeding birds regularly can get a tad expensive!  Last year I bought an adorable feeder at the seed store…and even though it was affordable it wouldn’t be difficult to create at home.  I love it because it’s so natural looking–made from a section of a tree branch with circular indentations to hold what the seed stores call “bark butter.”  At our house the birds go crazy over this “butter” and gobble up the entire feeder within hours…so you can guess that keeping this butter in stock is costing us a pretty penny!  But as luck would have it, I gave one of these feeders to my mom last year…and wouldn’t you know it, she figured out a recipe for “bark butter” that costs a fraction to make!  So you could also make the actual feeder…but today I’m sharing how to make what goes in it!  Take a peek at how simple and fun it is to make this delicacy for our feathered friends so you can enjoy…

feeding the birds!

so, not only am i revealing how to make bark butter but i’m taking advantage of sharing this simple recipe to try out my newest blog addition, recipe maker!  i know, i know, it’s really for when i’m sharing food for the human variety but this is still a recipe non-the-less and my first attempt to learn how to create printable recipes within my words on the page!  at the end of the post i will insert the printable version for what my family calls “bird butter.”  if you love feeding the birds you might want to give it a try!  this feeder is made from a simple branch…

if you’re feeling extra crafty & you have a branch, a screw hook, and a large drill bit–you could make your own version!  but they aren’t expensive…even at the specialty stores and they come in many sizes and varieties!  (you could use a suet bag as another option.)  to make the bark butter all you need are simple baking ingredients and a big bowl for mixing!

at the grocery store pick up the cheapest varieties of:  lard…

flour…

peanut butter, and corn meal…(measurements in recipe at the end of the post)

dump them all in a bowl & blend with a large spoon…

for quicker results just roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty…the birds won’t mind a bit!  squish it together until it resembles a grainy dough.  my hands actually feel really smooth after kneading the ingredients together…like having a peanut butter paraffin treatment!

so there you have it…bark butter dough!  so easy!  i’ve made it once with some seeds mixed in…and at the feed stores they sell varieties with dried fruit and bugs (which you can actually buy in a sort of freeze-dried form) but those extras are completely optional!  grab your branch…

and load her up!  just press the butter down inside the holes–it’s the consistency of thick, grainy peanut butter and holds together well!  if you don’t have a branch feeder you could choose a suet bag which would hold a larger amount of butter.  you can find varieties of suet feeders at almost any store that sells bird supplies.

hang it up where squirrels can’t get to it or it will be gone in a flash!  don’t worry if it takes the birds a couple days to discover the new treat…once they do they’ll be coming back for seconds, thirds, fourths…

it only took a couple seconds for this guy to fly in for a treat!

if you feel like treating your wild birds…print off the simple recipe!

bark butter for the birds

Bark Butter Bird Feed

Print Recipe

Peanut butter blend for wild birds

• Coursealternative recipe

Servings	Prep Time
1 dough loaf	10 minutes

Servings Prep Time 1 dough loaf 10 minutes

Bark Butter Bird Feed Print Recipe Peanut butter blend for wild birds Coursealternative recipe Servings Prep Time 1 dough loaf 10 minutes Servings Prep Time 1 dough loaf 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Lard
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 4 Cups Cornmeal

Servings: dough loaf

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients in large bowl. Blend together with a spoon or knead it in the bowl with your hands until the dry ingredients are completely blended into a dough. Store in an airtight container. Use in suet type bird feeders.