Food Sources in a Backyard Wildlife Habitat

A good wildlife habitat provides food, water, and shelter. Food requirements change based on the time of year for some species; they may go from eating seeds to fruit or insects. For best results, offer a variety of food sources in all seasons. Plant a wildflower garden, leave patches of unmowed grass to produce seeds for small mammals and birds, includes shrubs and trees that bear fruits, nuts, seeds and berries. Plant species that produce seeds and fruits at varying times of the year – blackberries and dogwood fruits ripen early, and holly and viburnum grow berries that persist into the winter. Make sure that plants chosen are native to the area before planting. For a list of plants that wildlife like, see Native Plants to Attract Wildlife.

Attracting Wildlife With Feeders

To attract the widest array of wildlife, hang a variety of feeder styles and fill with different types of seeds, as different bird species utilize different feeders and eat different foods. Popular seed-feeder types include screen-bottom trays, hopper and tube feeders. Common feed types include black-oil sunflower, thistle or nyjer, safflower, millet, milo, corn and peanuts. Thistle requires a special feeder. Sunflower is usually preferred by tree feeders, while ground feeders enjoy white proso millet, milo and corn. Save and dry melon, pumpkin and squash seeds for an added treat. Woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches will flock to suet. Buy a wire basket suet-feeder, make a suet log feeder, or simply cram some into pinecones or knotholes in trees. Peanut butter makes an alternative sweet treat. Sit out fruit – citrus, chopped apples, grapes and bananas, and water-soaked raisins in a dish. Add oriole feeders with nectar or grape jelly to round out the offerings.

Suet Recipes

There are a variety of suet recipes, here are just a few:

• Melt two cups suet, stir in one cup peanut butter, and add optional ingredients such as cornmeal, raisins, seeds or nuts. Refrigerate until firm and press into feeder.
• Mix the following: one part vegetable shortening, one part peanut butter, three parts yellow cornmeal, one part cracked corn, one part flour. Press into feeder.

And a mix that bluebirds especially like:

• Melt two parts lard and one part peanut butter in the microwave. Mix in four parts cornmeal.

Nectar Feeders

Also consider implementing a nectar garden to attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Citizen Science

Don’t just feed birds – contribute to the ornithological knowledge base by participating in Cornell University’s Project FeederWatch!