Protecting Our Feathered Friends: Safe Suet & Fat Feeding

 
Please be cautious when serving fats to birds. Birds should NEVER get fat on their feathers. A greasy pinecone is a surefire way for a bird to get fat on their feathers. 

Fats can pose a deadly risk to birds!

In this article, I cover what NOT to do when feeding fat (suet, etc.) and offer best practices on HOW TO feed birds a high-calorie meal. 

Keep reading for more on why birds can be harmed by some, and the pros and cons of various fats and feeding options. 

1. HOW BIRDS ARE HARMED BY EXPOSED AND/OR WRONG FATS

Birds are marvels of nature, but they can be misled into making poor feeding choices. During harsh, cold winters, birds need calorically dense foods to meet their metabolic needs. People often offer fat to birds as food support, such as suet and peanut butter.

Fat on feathers can cause life-threatening harm to birds. 
When fat/oil gets on bird feathers, it disrupts the delicate structure of a bird’s feathers, compromising their ability to insulate and repel water. This is similar to how oil spills devastate aquatic birds—we’ve all seen those heartbreaking images of birds coated in oil, struggling to stay warm and afloat. Even small amounts of fat can impair the insulating qualities of feathers. 

In winter, even a slight loss of insulation can quickly lead to life-threatening conditions. In summer, while hypothermia isn’t as immediate a concern, birds still rely on their feathers to maintain body temperature and protect against the elements. Healthy feathers are essential to bird survival. 

2. HOW BIRDS GET FAT ON THEIR FEATHERS

• Direct exposure: Landing on exposed fats, like suet balls, fat-covered pine cones, peanut butter-slathered trees, or feeders that allow the bird to get fat on their feet or directly onto feathers. 
• Preening and scratching: Fats can transfer from feet onto birds' heads and bodies as they preen.
• Using their bills: Super soft fats left in or on the bill from feeding can spread to other feathers during preening.

The softer and greasier the fat, the more easily it spreads. Hard, dry, and crumbly fats are far less likely to stick to birds' feet and bills, but any fat stuck on a foot or belly is a risk for the bird. 

2. WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN FEEDING BIRDS FAT

• Never allow a bird to land on or brush up against fat.
• Never use fat-slathered pine cones - they allow birds to land on the fat, getting fat on their feet. Birds preen with their feet, so the fat gets transferred to the head feathers, it spreads from there.  
• Avoid suet - unless it is TRUE suet. Our suet makers found it almost impossible to find affordable true suet. Most products advertised or sold as "suet" were soft body fat (or even lard or vegetable oil). For true suet, go to the butcher and ask for the dry, crumbly fat from a cow or pig loin.
• Never use soft, easily spread fats: vegetable, beef/pork subcutaneous or body fat, or Crisco.
• Never feed suet balls, fat-based wreaths, or cakes outside of a cage: These allow direct contact, increasing the likelihood of greasy feathers. 
• Never spread peanut butter or any fats directly on trees or their branches. Open, exposed fats put birds directly in harm's way. 

Note: Just because you haven't seen it, does not mean it is not happening. You are unlikely to ever see a suffering greasy bird. Like many injured birds, greasy birds will hide out of sight while attempting to stay warm and preen. 

3. WHAT TO USE TO SAFELY FEED FATS TO BIRDS

• Squirrel-proof feeders are best. 
• Squirrel-proof feeders with a cage around the suet cake holder allow birds to feed with little risk of contamination.
• Log feeders work if they have a perch - drill a hole and put in a chopstick or small dowel.
• Wreaths are easily made using gelatin rather than fats.
• Keep suet feeders clean by frequently washing in hot water and soap. 
• Always feed suet in a caged feeder or other protective feeder that prevents birds from landing directly on the fat.
  
  

4. WHEN & HOW TO FEED

• Times of extreme cold is a great time to feed fats. 
• Migrants might enjoy suet in September and October. 
• We recommend no suet feeding during late spring, early fall, or summer.
• Sun exposure will melt or soften fats even on a cold day. 
• Shaded areas are better than direct sun.
• All fat can go rancid. Toss the cakes after a week unless it is freezing. 
• Dispose of any fats in the garbage; do not leave fats out in the yard.
• If no one is eating it, reconsider your recipe.  
• Raw sunflower seeds or peanuts whole are far safer and healthier than any suet. 
• Most suet is junk food. 

 ​Squirrel-proof feeders with a cage around the suet cake holder allow birds to feed with little risk of contamination.

• Peanut butter is a better with no sugar or additives is a better option. 

5. CHOOSING THE RIGHT FATS
The type of fat you feed birds matters. Soft fats with low melting points, such as vegetable oils and non-suet beef fat, can easily spread onto feathers. Hard fats, such as true suet and peanut butter - when it is cold enough - are safer and provide better nutrition. (Butchers' fats and tubbed fats can be mislabeled as "suet" when they are not.) Rendering does not yield hard fat; it only takes out impurities. 

True Suet: 
True suet is the hard, crumbly fat around a cow or pig's loins and kidneys. 

• Has a high melt point (113°F or higher), resisting spread.
• Provides birds with concentrated energy and calories.
• Raw suet is better if it is from a healthy animal. 
• Feed only if hard, crumbly, and if its very cold. 

Peanut Butter: Yes, peanut butter is a fat - it is 50% fat.

• Has a high melting point (105°).
• Higher nutritional value and high-protein birds are adapted to.  
• Peanut butter should be fed hard, not soft.
• Feed only if temperatures are cooler to cold. 

Never Feed: Bacon grease, cooking drippings, vegetable oils, and other fats that require fillers like flour to hold shape.
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6. The Deadly Consequences of Fat-Coated Feathers
Feathers act like a bird’s wetsuit, creating a protective barrier against cold air and water. They also retain warmth through air pockets trapped by the feathers (why birds fluff up on cold days). When fats or oils interfere with this barrier, the bird becomes vulnerable to the elements:

• Hypothermia: Even mild exposure to cold can be fatal if feathers lose their insulating properties and even a small amount of water or snow gets on the birds' skin. Water on the skin leaks warmth from the bird. 
• Starvation: Greasy birds spend hours attempting to clean their feathers instead of foraging for food. Over time, they become too weak to survive.
• Stress and exhaustion: Larger birds may endure longer but eventually succumb to the compounded strain of shivering, preening, and insufficient nutrition.

Bird saliva and preening cannot remove oils. Once fats compromise a bird’s feathers, the damage is irreversible (without human intervention). Avian rehabilitators need specialized soaps and techniques to clean up greasy or oiled birds. 

Soft Fats Are Risky
​Soft fats (melt points as low as 75°F):

• Spread easily, harming feathers.
• Get soft or melt even in winter in direct sun. 
• Offer poor nutrition due to fillers (flour, corn).
• Force birds to eat more, work harder, and risk deficiencies.
  
  

Peanut Butter
Peanut butter (melt point 104°F) is a safer alternative. Look for PB with no added oils or sugars, and consider mixing it with suet for a "no-melt" option.

Test Your Suet Cake 

• Squishy? Toss it—too soft.
• Does the suet cake feel greasy? 
• Crumbly and dry? That’s true suet.
  
  

Avoid cheap, filler-heavy suet cakes that compromise bird safety and nutrition. Choose high-quality fats to support your feathered friends!
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Simple Suet Recipe
Mix peanut butter (no sugar or other ingredients.  Add oat or wheat flour if you want to, but not much. Add seeds and nuts with no shells, and a tad of dried fruit. 

See Bird-Safe Wreaths for how to make fun bird-friendly crafts for kids and adults. 
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Gelatin wreaths are loved by all!