Making edible ornaments for wildlife is a great way to provide food and enrichment for animals during the holiday season. With some simple ingredients and techniques, you can create festive treats that birds, squirrels, deer, and other wildlife will love. Below are some tips and ideas for making fun and nourishing edible ornaments to hang on trees or around your yard.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
When making edible ornaments for wildlife, the key is to use ingredients that animals naturally eat and can digest safely. Here are some good options:
- Seeds and nuts – black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.
- Dried fruits – raisins, cranberries, diced apricots, apples, etc.
- Oats and grains – old-fashioned or quick oats, millet, wheat berries, cornmeal, etc.
- Suet – provides fat and calories for winter
- Honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup – act as binders and add sweetness
- Peanut butter – for extra protein and fat
- Dried mealworms or crickets – provides protein for birds
Avoid using ingredients with added sugars, salts, chocolate, or seasonings. Stick to simple, natural foods that wildlife recognize as food sources. It’s also best to skip bread products which can swell in animals’ stomachs.
Typical Seed and Nut Combinations
Here are some typical seed and nut combinations that make tasty edible ornaments:
- Black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, dried cranberries, and oats
- Sunflower seeds, peanuts, raisins, and millet
- Peanuts, cornmeal, slivered almonds, and oats
- Pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and wheat berries
- Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, diced apricots, and oats
Mix and match different seeds and nuts to create a blend that appeals to the wildlife in your area. Squirrels tend to like nuts, while birds go for smaller seeds and fruits.
Using Suet for Extra calories
Suet is rendered beef fat that provides a concentrated source of fat and calories for birds in winter. You can add suet to edible ornaments to increase the food value. To use suet:
- Melt it down and mix with seeds and nuts
- Add powdered or grated suet to dried fruit mixes
- Form suet into its own shapes or ornaments
- Use custom suet bird cake mixes and add seeds, nuts, or fruit
Suet helps bind ingredients together while also creating a high-calorie treat. Chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and other insect-eating birds will appreciate the extra fat content.
Shaping and Forming the Ornaments
To shape your edible ornaments, you can form balls by hand, use cookie cutters, or pour mixtures into molds. Here are some tips:
Balls
- Moisten seed and nut mixes slightly with water or honey to help them stick together.
- Roll mixture between your hands to form compact balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter.
- Insert a loop of string into the top of the balls before shaping to create a hanger.
- Roll firmly so they hold their shape when hung.
Cookie Cutters
- Press seed/nut mixes into cookie cutter shapes like stars, trees, bells, etc.
- Use mini cookie cutters to create bite-sized ornaments.
- Insert loop of string into the top before pressing into the cutter.
Molds
- Pour wet suet mixtures into shaped molds like miniature wreaths, Santas, etc.
- Let cool completely before removing from molds.
- Pipe peanut butter into hollow molds like oranges halves, then fill center with seeds.
- Sprinkle seeds into mold to coat the outside before filling middle with suet/nut mix.
Get creative with the shapes – triangle trees, round snowman heads, star cookies. Wildlife will enjoy the different textures and surfaces too.
Drying and Preserving the Ornaments
Since you’ll be hanging edible ornaments outside, they need to hold up to the elements. Here are some tips to dry and preserve them:
- Let air dry thoroughly for 1-2 days so they harden.
- Optionally coat with vegetable oil or beeswax to add extra weatherproofing.
- Store in airtight container in cool area for 1-2 weeks maximum.
- Refrigerate any ornaments with fresh fruit or suet to keep longer.
- Consider making a new batch every 1-2 weeks for freshness.
Proper drying and storage will prevent ornaments from getting moldy or deteriorating too quickly outside.
Hanging and Displaying the Ornaments
Now comes the fun part – hanging the edible ornaments outdoors for animals to find! Here are some tips for putting them out:
- Hang ornaments from tree branches using twine, ribbon, string, or twigs.
- Space them out both high and low for birds and ground wildlife.
- Hang closer to natural food sources, like berry bushes or feeders.
- Place ornaments inside wire suet cages to protect from larger animals.
- Set ornament balls on overturned flower pots, platforms, or plates on the ground.
- Attach wreaths or garlands made of ornaments to trees or fences.
Position ornaments where animals naturally congregate to feed. Placing some low will help ground dwelling critters like squirrels, rabbits, and deer find them.
Where to Hang Edible Ornaments for Wildlife
Good spots to display edible ornaments include:
- Backyard trees – Hang from low branches so squirrels can reach
- Berry bushes – Food source birds already flock to
- Near bird feeders – Provides treats between feedings
- Wood piles or brush – Hidden treats for ground animals
- Garden fences – Garlands on fences look festive
- Woodland edges – Ornaments welcome forest creatures to feast
Choose areas that shelter animals naturally spend time. Avoid disturbing sensitive habitats or territories.
Monitoring and Maintaining the Ornaments
Check edible ornaments regularly to see how wildlife is enjoying them and refresh as needed. Here are some tips:
- Observe which ornaments and locations get visited frequently.
- Watch to see which animals stop by from birds to squirrels, rabbits, and deer.
- Replace ornaments as they get eaten to continually provide fresh food.
- Brush off any snow, ice, or debris so animals can find them.
- Toss any old ornaments that get waterlogged, dirty, or moldy.
- Make new batches each 1-2 weeks to supplement feeders and natural sources.
Providing a continuous source of edible ornaments will give animals a reliable food option when other natural foods are scarce in winter.
Troubleshooting Ornament Making
Here are some common issues and solutions when making edible wildlife ornaments:
Problem | Solution |
---|---|
Mixture won’t hold shape | Add more peanut butter, honey, or suet to bind it |
Ornaments crumbling | Allow more drying time before hanging |
Mold growing | Use fresher ingredients and dry thoroughly |
Animals won’t eat | Use ingredients specific to species (nuts for squirrels, seeds for birds) |
Ornaments disappearing too fast | Make larger batches more frequently |
Test different ingredient ratios to find a good sticky consistency. Proper drying and storage will also help ornaments keep their shape outside.
Fun Variations and Recipes
Edible ornaments open up lots of room for creativity. Here are just a few fun variations and recipes to try:
Fruit and Yogurt Ornaments
- Mix dried chopped fruits with plain yogurt to form a firm dough.
- Shape balls and roll in shredded coconut for texture.
- Try fruits like apricots, apples, cranberries, raisins, and dates.
Suet Painted Ornaments
- Coat nut and seed balls with melted colored suet for a festive look.
- Make pink, blue, green, and purple suet paints.
- Sprinkle glitter over the suet coating while wet for sparkle.
Birdseed Wreaths and Garlands
- Arrange different sized seed and nut balls into rings on florist wire.
- Vary shapes from round balls to ovals and rectangles.
- Create festive garlands by stringing popcorn and cranberry balls.
Holiday Shape Ornaments
- Press seed dough into holiday cookie cutters like trees, stars, bells, etc.
- Use tiny cookie cutters for bite-sized shapes.
- Make wreaths and trees out of mini seed ball ornaments.
Let the season and your creativity guide you. Animals will enjoy discovering the colorful surprises.
Benefits for Wildlife
Offering edible ornaments provides some great benefits for local wildlife:
- Food source – Supplements berries, nuts, and other natural foods that are scarce in winter
- High energy – Nutrient-dense fats and proteins give critters an energy boost
- Enrichment – Forages and searches for ornaments provides mental stimulation
- Fun discovery – Ornaments spark curiosity when exploring their habitat
- Stress relief – Reliable food lowers winter survival stress and fear of starvation
Even a small backyard ornament buffet makes a big difference for animals struggling to find food during cold months.
Best Practices for Feeding Wildlife
When making edible ornaments, keep these tips in mind for safely feeding wildlife:
- Use only natural, unprocessed foods animals recognize
- Avoid ingredients with salt, sugar, chocolate, or seasonings
- Offer treats in moderation along with natural food sources
- Provide clean drinking water
- Frequently clean up and replace old ornaments
- Don’t feed wildlife on the ground to avoid spreading disease
Providing thoughtful, healthy treats keeps animals happy and your yard enjoyable for all visitors.
Conclusion
Crafting edible ornaments is an easy and thoughtful way to give back to wildlife in your area during the holiday season. With simple homemade seed and nut mixes shaped into festive balls and shapes, you can give birds, squirrels, and other animals a gift of needed nutrition and winter enrichment. Get the whole family involved and hang the edible decorations with care on trees, fences, and bushes where wild critters roam. Then relax and enjoy watching your backyard come alive as the creatures stop by to nibble holiday tidings just for them!