Southern California Suet Guide: Which Birds Eat Suet, and Why?

Maybe you’ve heard of suet and even seen it in stores when shopping for bird seed. Still, you may be wondering, what exactly is it? And if you live in Southern California, how can you use suet to attract birds? And what kinds of birds like suet? We have all your answers here in our Southern California suet guide.

But First, What is Suet?

Suet is a high-energy bird food made with an animal-fat base, though it may also contain many other bird-friendly ingredients, like nuts and seeds. Suet is often made into cakes, balls, or bricks, and often requires a special suet bird feeder designed to hold it. You can buy or make suet with any number of ingredients, including those that won’t melt or become rancid in hotter months, and those that attract the types of birds found in your area.

Is Suet Good for Birds?

Some may think it’s unnatural for birds to eat animal fat, but in the wild they do just that. Many types of birds scavenge fat from animal carcasses, especially in colder weather, because it’s a high-energy food that keeps them warm. Birds can both digest and metabolize fat, and it is a great source of energy when insects and other types of food aren’t available.

Which Birds Found in Southern California Eat Suet?

Though Southern California is often categorized by its temperate weather, there are many areas—like Big Bear Lake, where Chirp Nature Center is located—that see cold weather and even snow in winter months. This wide range of climates makes Southern California home to a wide range of birds. The following, though not exhaustive, is a list of common Southern California birds* that eat suet:

• Bewick’s Wren
• Black Phoebe
• Black-Caped Chickadee
• Bushtit
• California Scrub Jay
• California Towhee
• Clark’s Nutcracker
• Dark-Eyed Junco
• European Starling
• Hooded Oriole
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Mountain Chickadee
• Northern Flicker
• Northern Mockingbird
• Oak Titmouse
• Red-Breasted Nuthatch
• Steller’s Jay
• Western Bluebird
• Western Tanager
• White-Breasted Nuthatch
• Woodpecker

*For a list of wild birds specific to the Big Bear area, check out Chirp’s Wild Bird Checklist. You can also buy a Birds of Southern California guidebook online or at the Chirp Nature Center at Big Bear Lake.

What Kind of Suet Bird Feeder Should I Buy?

When shopping for a suet bird feeder, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, what kind of suet are you using? There are feeders made to hold suet cakes, suet balls, suet bricks, and other forms of this bird favorite. You’ll need to make sure that the feeder you choose will fit the suet you have, and vice versa. And second, since suet is also a squirrel favorite, you may wish to consider a squirrel-proof feeder to keep them away.

Here are some of our customers’ favorite suet feeders:

Cedar Suet Posts

These gorgeous suet feeders are made from Northern White Cedar, and have several holes drilled into the log for holding suet. Use the screw eye at the top to hang the feeder from a post or hook. At Chirp Nature Center, we offer the small 8.5-inch Cedar Suet Post and the large 22-inch Cedar Suet Post.

Suet Basket Feeders

These feeders feature a cedar base and one or more wire baskets for suet cakes or blocks. Our Single Suet Feeder holds one suet cake and includes a woodpecker tail prop. It can be easily mounted on a fence, tree, or deck. Our Double Suet Basket holds two suet cakes at a time—ideal for places with lots of bird action and hard-to-reach feeders that are difficult to replenish.

Squirrel-Proof Suet Feeders

Birds aren’t the only ones who love suet—squirrels do too! Our squirrel-proof suet feeders make suet accessible to all kinds of birds while impossible to reach for squirrels.

Our Squirrel-Resistant Suet Palace is a hanging feeder with a cage design with holes large enough for birds to fit through but small enough to keep squirrels, starlings, and grackles out. And our Squirrel-Proof Double Suet Feeder has a weather-proof roof that keeps suet dry and its cage design keeps squirrels and larger birds out.

Suet and Seed Combo Feeders

Get the best of both worlds and attract an even larger assortment of birds with a combo suet/seed feeder like our 2 Suet and a Seed feeder. This hanging feeder holds up to three cups of bird seed in its central compartment, which is flanked with two suet holder cages on either side.

Upside Down Suet Feeders

Why have an upside-down suet feeder, you ask? It keeps unwanted birds like starlings and crackles away because they can’t cling to the feeder, while other birds can feed just fine. Check out our Small Upside Down Suet Feeder Hunter Driftwood and see for yourself.

Window Suet Feeders

Get an up-close-and-personal view of the birds at your feeder with a window-mounted suet feeder, like our Red Suet Window Feeder. Mount it securely to any window with two suction cups and watch as the birds start coming!

Have More Suet Questions? Visit Us!

Whether you want to learn more about birds, discuss which feeder will work best for your house, or participate in one of our bird walks, come and see us at Chirp Nature Center! We’d love to have you.