Holiday Decorating With the Help of Bird Feeders

As the holiday season approaches, you’ll start to see more and more houses wrapped in glowing strands of lights and ornamented with bountiful greenery and wreaths.

More importantly, your customers may come in wanting more options for their home than the standard light strings. If they want to make their home stand out from everyone else on the street, Perky-Pet® has a great idea. Why not suggest they feed wild birds while decking the halls at the same time?

Best Feeders for Winter Bird Feeding

  • NO/NO® Mesh Feeders & Perky-Pet® Metal Cage Feeders – Nothing says “winter wonderland” quite like these NO/NO® mesh feeders and Perky-Pet® metal cage feeders in the form of snow-loving critters! These feeders do more than just add a decorative flair to a yard, they’re also fully functional and allow multiple birds to climb around the feeder and get a meal.
  • Perky-Pet® Seed Ball Feeders – If your customers are looking for a winter feeder that also contributes to their holiday color scheme, Perky-Pet® Seed Ball Feeders are for just what they want! These feeders come in two festive colors to accentuate seasonal outdoor décor, and they ornament-style silhouette. Winter birds can cling and feed from anywhere on the diamond-mesh surface, ensuring that a multitude of species can be accommodated.
  • Perky-Pet® Winter Themes – For a timeless look, advise your customers to trim their backyard trees with classic winter-themed feeders from Perky-Pet®! Whether they want to protect against squirrels or add a rustic touch to their outdoor décor, these festive feeders are sure to complement the beauty of a snow-covered yard. Each feeder holds plenty of seed, so birds have an adequate food supply through the winter.

Prepare the Winter Feast

Certain feeders are good for specific types of birds – the same goes for the types of bird seed and other food you offer your bird-feeding customers. There are three simple guidelines to help with bird feeding:

  • Rule 1: Offer variety – To attract the most birds, it is best to provide a variety of seed types and other food options. For example, if you are partial to cardinals, try dried fruit and cracked peanuts with black oil sunflower and safflower seeds.
  • Rule 2: Offer protein – Winter bird feeding also calls for foods with a high fat and protein content. During the colder months when insects are scarce, birds need to consume plenty of calories from other sources to keep warm. In addition to the black oil sunflower seeds and peanuts mentioned above, suet is a great way to provide calories. This pure fat food is perfect for winter birds and can be served alongside the seed in a feeder with a built-in suet cage.
  • Rule 3: Offer Water – Whether your area is blanketed in snow or stays green, one sure way to help your customers attract birds is to suggest they offer fresh, unfrozen water on a daily basis. Whether they have a bird waterer or a bird bath, keeping it fresh, clean and unfrozen through the winter is a huge help to birds. Even in the winter, they need it!

Handmade Holiday Bird Feeders

Feel like offering a creative event for your customers? How about setting up a workshop to create some handmade holiday feeders?

These projects are easy, sure to get customers in your store, keep kids occupied while their parents shop and provide a fun way to give back to the community without too much prep-time.

  • popcorn strands Popcorn strands or popcorn garlands – You know those strands of popcorn some people use to decorate their trees indoors? Well, create one of these to hang outside and let the birds have a feast!

    Supplies: Thread/fishing line, a needle, popcorn, cranberries, other small pieces of fruit.

    Note: Be sure to remove the string as soon as it’s picked clean!

  • Suet Wreath – This one is a great winter project. Your store can fire up one of its barbecue grills to melt the suet. Allow people to make their own mixes from other available supplies. Once their mix is ready, they can pour it into a Bundt pan, cover it up and take it home.

    Supplies: Bundt pan (required purchase or have customers bring one from home), beef fat/lard (available from a butcher, you can charge by the pound), peanut butter, cornmeal, nuts, berries, seed

    Note: Be sure to consult directions on the Internet for making suet. This can be a bit messy, but suet-making events can be a big customer draw, too.

  • Pine Cone Wreath Pine Cone Feeder – Pine cone feeders are easy to do and offer a lot of room to adapt them to your preferences. Gather or order some pine cones – the bigger the better! Next tie a string to the top of each. Customers smear peanut butter and cornmeal into the cracks and then roll the pine cones in bird seed so that it sticks to the peanut butter. Nuts, berries and unsweetened cereal can also be added.

    Supplies: Pine cones, string/wire, peanut butter, cornmeal, nuts, berries, seed, cereal, aluminum foil

    Note: Once the pine cone feeders are finished, roll them up in aluminum foil. Tell your customers to freeze them overnight before hanging them out.

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