Bluebird Pudding: The Magical Treat

A common question I receive at the store is "What can I do to attract Bluebirds to my yard?" One of the easiest methods at this time of year (winter) is to put out Bluebird Pudding.

Bluebird Pudding is a homemade melange of lard, peanut butter, and corn meal. After those three things, everyone seems to have their own special ingredients they like to add. Some folks will add oat meal, others will add hulled sunflower seeds. Some even like to add dried mealworms.

The simplest recipe I have heard is to mix lard and peanut butter in a 50/50 ratio, then add your "special" ingredients. Once that is well blended, add the corn meal in last at whatever amount is needed to make the pudding into a thick paste. You don't want it too dry or it won't hold together. If it's too mushy, it gets all over the birds' feathers and that's not good either. Once completed, you smear it into the holes of a Bluebird Pudding feeder or set it out in a tray feeder with a roof. Keep the excess stored in a refrigerator for later use.

Remember that Bluebirds are not "clingers", so they need a perch to sit on while feeding. Using typical suet plug feeder that is designed for Woodpeckers will attract Woodpeckers, but Bluebirds will have a hard time using it.

Lots of birds will enjoy Bluebird Pudding, but it is one way to attract Bluebirds to your yard in the winter, because Bluebirds do not eat seed. However, they do relish the high fat content of Bluebird Pudding. Speaking of high fat content, is it bad to feed Bluebird Pudding? Won't that clog the arteries of the birds? The answer to that question is a simple "no". Bird physiology is different from that of humans, and birds rely on the high calorie content of fats (both animal and plant) to survive the winter. So there are no worries that your birds will get heart disease from eating Bluebird Pudding. Just enjoy putting it out and watch the fun the begin!