Suet is a great source of body heat, hence more valuable in colder temperatures. Thus, it can attract a variety of birds like woodpeckers, jays, nuthatches, etc. But, for this very reason, it can also lure in unwanted creatures like squirrels, dogs, and less desired birds.
You can minimize this problem to a great extent if you just put a little effort into choosing the best suet feeders and the best locations to place them. Fear not, for in this article we have the best suggestions, advice, and answers to almost every basic information you need.
Top 5 Best Suet Feeders
It is important to choose a suet feeder according to your budget, your feeding goals, and maintaining flexibility. We are here to help you decide with five of our top listed and hand-picked suggestions-
Strokes Select 38092 Suet Feeder
This suet feeder is a cage-grid style feeder, and its simple & sleek design easily attracts clinging birds like chickadees, titmice, etc. in mind. These suet bird feeders can accommodate one single general-sized suet cake at a time easily. When food is scarce and you have less to offer, these small suet cage feeders can be very handy.
This suet cage also diminishes the chance of food/suet wastage, so it is easy on your pockets and the environment. You can easily attract various types of birds by offering a small amount of suet easily.
The stroke select 38092 suet feeder cage is made of steel, which makes it durable and weather resistant. Offered suet can stay safe for a long time in rigid or unfavorable weather when your cage is strong and durable.
These suet bird feeders are built with a double locking closure system. This system keeps your suet cakes tight and secure, while also being easy to open and operate. An easy-to-access unit like this makes it easier for cleaning. So, your product will last you longer while keeping your feathered friends happy!
Pros
- Cage grid designed keeping clinging birds in mind
- Great for offering seed cakes, fruits, nesting materials as well as suet cakes
- Double locking closure system keeps food secure
- Easy to open and low maintenance
- Made from durable solid steel makes cage rigid weather resistant
Cons
- Can only offer up to one suet cake at a time
Why Buy This Product?
This pocket-friendly cage-style suet feeder is suitable for clinging birds. It gives a healthy way to offer suet cake when food is scarce, creating less waste. You can also offer seedcakes, small fruits, nuts, and nesting materials. They are also pretty low maintenance and easy to refill; hence you have to go through no extra hassle!
Nature’s Way Bird Products CWF2 Cedar Suet Upside Down Bird Feeder
This upside-down suet feeder is designed in such a way that birds have to hang from their claws upside-down to feed on the suet. This naturally keeps the less desired birds away, as aviaries like grackles, and starlings are not comfortable hanging upside down to feed.
So, the ‘bully’ birds stay away, and desired birds like woodpeckers, titmice and nuthatches can feed on the suet feeder without having to compete with the aforementioned larger animals.
These suet bird feeders units come with preservatives that prevent discoloration, mold formation, and possible water damage on the cages. They also act as insect repellent and rot-resistant. So, your suet lasts long without going rancid and your feeding cage keeps its durability.
The construction of these products uses rust-free mesh and screws. It also comes with a vinyl-coated steel-hanging cable which provides better durability. Having such great sturdy construction, these cages have a warranty of lasting longer.
Pros
- Upside down design naturally eliminates larger bully birds helping small-medium birds feed safely
- Insect, rot-resistant cedar
- Has rust-free mesh, screws, and vinyl-coated steel hanging cable
- Preservatives to help prevent water damage, discoloration, and molds
- Has promising durable features and comes with around 3 years of warranty
Cons
- Holds one suet cake at a time only
Why Buy This Product?
Get the best of birding enjoyment with this suet feeder- as this product uses top quality features to provide a longer-lasting service. Moreover, help your backyard birds feel safer as the upside-down design keeps larger nuisance-creating birds at bay. Get your money’s worth with all the best features present!
Birds Choice 2-Cake Pileated Suet Feeder with Brown Top
This easy-to-use pileated suet feeder is made with excellent craftsmanship. This cage can hold up to two general-sized suet cakes at a time which is easy to refill.
This product is environment-friendly as it is made from recycled plastic-based poly lumber. So, it is also easy on the economy. The poly lumber-based construction is durable and strong, and the feeders will not easily crack, split, or break.
These pileated suet holders each have an extra-long tail pop that makes it easier for birds with longer tails (such as bluebirds, finches, bigger woodpeckers, etc.) to rest and feed.
This long tail pop also helps keep the suet feeder balanced in frigid weather. This helps our feathered friends feed easily and safely, creating less waste.
The suet feeder comes fully assembled with a hanging cable included. So, it is very easy to use and handle and also comes with easy installation. This cage needs no extra effort assembling and is also easy to clean. You can hang this product or switch its placement very easily.
Pros
- Welcoming to bigger birds like bluebirds etc. for it is better balanced by a long-tail pop
- Fine craftsmanship, made from ultra-durable recycles poly lumber
- Can feed up to 2 suet cakes or hot pepper suet at a time
- Avoids waste while offering more food
- Ready-to-use as it comes fully assembled
Cons
- Longer tail prop welcoming to larger birds can attract unwanted birds like grackles, starlings, etc. as well as squirrels
Why Buy This Product?
This double-feeder is great if you are looking to put in less effort but get a better outcome. They are easy to use and come pre-assembled along with hanging cables. So, you’ll need to change the suet less frequently. You can also attract various types of birds at a time by offering two different types of suet!
Squirrel-X Squirrel Proof Double Suet Feeder
These suet feeders have one of the most wanted features a suet feeder can have – being squirrel proof. These feeders are also designed to help keep the larger bully birds away and feed the smaller ones safely.
These are capable of holding up to two suet cakes at a time. So, you can easily attract a variety of small birds by offering two different types of suet at once. Smaller birds can easily slip inside the powder-coated metal feeder to get their desired food, while the strong cage with such a simple & sleek design keeps the squirrel away.
It is a great investment if you want to attract and help feed the specific types of feathered creatures.
Since only small birds can feed off these suet feeders, you also need to change suet less frequently. This creates less waste and is easy on the environment. The squirrel-proof feeder design makes it more desirable to bird enthusiasts and is a great way to offer suet to the backyard birds safely.
Pros
- The metal cage is designed to keep squirrels out
- Durable against rigid weather conditions and lasts long
- Holds up to two suet cakes at once
- Design and size prevent larger unwanted bully birds from preying away the suet cakes from your intended feathered friends
Cons
- Can be hard to clean and assemble
Why Buy This Product?
If you’re a regular bird feeder and use suets frequently, this is a great product that serves all the purposes. It can hold up to two suet cakes and attract various birds while keeping preying creatures away.
This can be used for a long time as the model consists of a durable steel lid and powder-coated weather-resistant steel build. It’s a win-win investment from every angle!
Birds Choice SNTP Single-Cake Tail-Pop Feeder
If you want to put in less effort and money but get amazing results, this is a great option for you. This feeder is an easy-to-use, on-the-go kind of product.
This suet feeder cage is made from recycled-based poly lumber. The quality of this material is greatly durable, as it will not fade, crack, or split easily. As it is made from recycled products, these suet feeders are environment-friendly.
These products come fully assembled, so you don’t have to go through the extra hassle. It is also easy to clean and maintain. This suet cage can hold up to one general-sized suet cake at a time. So, birds can eat as much as needed and it creates less waste every time.
This Birds Choice SNTP single cake feeder has an astonishing 6″ long tail pop. The feature helps keep the suet feeder balanced in windy/rigid weather. They also provide support for larger birds or birds with longer tails to rest and feed easily.
Pros
- Made from durable recycled poly lumber
- Can withstand harsh weather
- Easy to use, no assembling is required
- Welcoming to bigger and tall-tailed birds
- Fine craftsmanship and good quality product, won’t crack or fade for years
Cons
- Can hold up to one suet cake at a time only
- Long tail-pop creating balance can attract larger unwanted birds
Why Buy This Product?
Coming pre-assembled, this product is easy to use and maintain and requires less effort cleaning. The durable poly lumber can provide service for a very long time without getting cracked or faded.
As the long tail pop of this suet feeder can support larger birds, it can welcome various types of aviaries while having a single-cake suet capacity.
How to Choose the Best Suet Feeder?
There are a few types of suet feeders, some prefer simple suet chunks hung in a mesh onion bag. There are also suet pudding feeding trays, and the most famous are suet feeding cages.
The foremost ones are mostly preferred by bird enthusiasts. Here are a few things you should keep in mind while choosing the best suet feeder for woodpeckers.
Check the Material and Quality: Most suet feeders are made of steel, so they are more durable and stronger. But for this reason, you should check the quality beforehand as it may get rusty with time. A rusty cage will not be sturdy enough to withstand larger preying animals or unfavorable weather.
Look for a Good Structure: Ideally, any kind of bird feeder should be stable and sturdy enough so it can withstand heavy wind and frigid weather. The structure should not be complicated where the birds get caught by their tails, claws, feathers, etc.
At the same time, they should be strong enough to keep unwanted visitors such as squirrels, etc. away. Check if your cage is tight enough so the suet doesn’t fall through. A suet feeder with good assembly can help the feed stay dry in rain and mist.
Uncomplicated Assembly: Opt for a suet feeder that is easy to assemble. A cage that is easy to set up will also be convenient to keep clean. That way, the offered suet doesn’t go rancid.
How to Hang a Suet Feeder?
Suet Feeders should be placed carefully, and we should keep a few things in mind while placing and hanging our bird feeders.
- Find a Shaded Place
We should find a shaded place to hang the feeder. This way, the suet will be safe from the heat of the day as well as an unexpected rain. The heat during the day makes the suet go rancid and release an unpleasant odor, and we aim to try our best to avoid that.
- Place It High
The suet feeder should be placed on its own pole. It should be placed high, so other animals can’t reach them.
- Check the Surroundings
Try to place your suet holder near thick branches of trees, so the birds feel protected, but at such a place that the feed is noticeable to their eyes as well as human observers if paid attention.
- Avoid Placing Around Certain Things
You should be careful to not place your suet holder near electric poles, house windows, etc., as birds may easily fly into them and injure themselves. Be careful about the surroundings.
- Ensure Easy Access
The placement of the suet feeders cage should be easy to access so that you can check when to replace or refill it. It will also be more convenient to change the suet or clean it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I change the suet of my suet feeder?
Even if no birds feed on your suet cage/feeder, you should change the suet and clean out your feeder every week. As suet consists of animal fat, it can rot pretty easily, especially faster during the summer. If you are feeding suet during the warm seasons, change it every 4-5 days.
How do I clean a suet feeder?
Take the suet feeder down from the pole. Soak it in hot (or boiling) water with mild soap for about 15 minutes. This will help to loosen the food remnants and bird droppings. Degreasing dish soap can cut through the suet stickiness (resulting from animal fat) better and faster. Adjust your soaking time as needed.
Are suet feeders actually good for birds?
Since suet mainly consists of animal fats, it can be great food for birds. It is easily digested and metabolized. More importantly, since it is high in calories, it is a great source of energy and a nutritious snack. It helps birds produce better body heat which is especially valuable in winter or colder weather.
What kind of birds are attracted to suet and suet feeders?
Suet is made partially of animal fat, and it attracts insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, titmice, etc. Since birds have to hang upside-down to feed on suet feeders, a lot of birds who can’t do that cannot reach the food.
What animal would like a suet feeder?
Smaller wild animals like squirrels and even dogs are attracted to suet feeders for the very reason birds are. This is why we should be careful where we place our suet feeders and place them on high branches and poles.
Final Words
Suet is a great feed for birds, and adding a suet feeder to your backyard is undoubtedly a great way to attract your desired feathery friends as well as new species of aviaries.
Gladly we could learn together through this article about how we can help birds find new and better sources of food with the help of the best suet feeders. These amazing products are also keeping their environment harm-free yet enjoyable to human observers.
