Edible Ornaments for the Birds

Looking for an easy family-friendly relationship-building activity for winter vacation? Look no more! Decorating a tree for the wild birds and critters checks all the boxes! Bird seeds and treats can be made into creative, edible ornaments for the birds. Easy pinecone decorations lead the way followed by cranberry garlands and fruit halves. Wonderful shapes can be added using cardboard and suet decorations. The birds and wildlife will enjoy your efforts. The most important thing you’ll make is memories!

The Night Tree is a wonderful way to prime enthusiasm for the project. Eve Bunting is a fabulous author that I often used in my classroom. Here’a a quick summary:

By moonlight in the quiet forest, a young boy and his family decorate their favorite tree with popcorn, apples, tangerines, and sunflower-seed balls as a gift for the animals of the woods. “Sure to become a Christmas favorite, this beautifully illustrated story of a family’s unusual tradition brings to life the true spirit of Christmas.”–American Bookseller

Pinecone Decorations

Materials: pinecones, 8”-10” pieces of string, popsicle sticks, natural peanut butter, bird seed

Pinecone decorations are one of the easiest treats to make. Whether you buy them or gather them, be sure they are large. The more open spaces, the more food can be crammed into them. If they are store bought, rinse them in warm water to remove any chemicals that might be there. Be sure to tie the string to the top first.

Depending on their age, kids can smear gobs of peanut butter all over the pinecone and roll it in bird seed. As they grow older, they might like to let some of the pinecone show, dabbing the peanut butter and food into the crevices with a popsicle stick.

From Country Hill Cottage
Pinecone Bird Feeder

Cranberry Garlands

Materials: Cranberries, Cotton-based thread (3 strands of embroidery floss), sturdy needle big enough to poke through a cranberry

Optional: thimble, apple and orange slices, raisins, grapes

Determine the length of the string by the age of the child. Younger children will probably like shorter strings. They feel the accomplishment more quickly. Thread the needle. Punch the needle through the first cranberry slide it to the end of the string. Knot the string around the cranberry to create and anchor. String away! Grapes, raisins, and slices of apples and oranges look nice between cranberries. Shorter strands of fruit can be put together to create a longer garland.

Orange and Grapefruit Halves

Materials:  Oranges or grapefruit, knife, Four 10” pieces of yarn or string for each half piece of fruit, scissors, birdseed

Cut the fruit in half.  Remove the fruit from the inside. Make four holes about an inch down around the fruit at 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the clock. Tie knots in the yarn and push them through the holes. Tie all four strings together so that the fruit hangs level. Fill with bird seed and hang outside.

From TreeHugger.com
How to Make a Bird Feeder with Citrus Peels

Cardboard Decorations

Materials:  Heavy cardboard that isn’t coated, magic markers, scissors, 8”-10” pieces of yarn, popsicle sticks or table knives, natural peanut butter, birdseed, tray (Optional: nail or needle for making a hole)

Trace or draw a pattern with magic markers onto the cardboard: Christmas tree, heart, star, snowman, ornament candy cane. Patterns can be googled as “Free Christmas Tracing Patterns for Kids”. Patterns should be about the size of an adult’s hand. Cut the pattern out of cardboard. Poke a hole in the top using a nail or needle. String the yarn through it. Smear the cardboard with natural peanut butter using popsicle sticks or table knives. Pour birdseed into a tray. Sprinkle the birdseed onto it or press the cardboard into birdseed. Putting birdseed on the other side is optional. Place the ornament on a tray and let it set. Keep in mind that the cardboard will be affected by the weather.

Bird Seed Ornaments
From Crafts by Amanda

Suet Decorations

Materials: non-stick cooking spray, parchment paper, stick or straw, cookie cutters, plus ingredient list below

Alternative shape-makers: mini bundt pans, muffin pans

This is a simple, healthy recipe for suet with beneficial ingredients. It’s from Backwoods Mama: Raising Outdoor Kids. That site is a wonderful resource for getting kids and grandkids involved in the great outdoors in all seasons.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup cold water

1/3 cup hot water

2 ½ cups bird seeds

Optional Ingredients

¼ raisins or currants

¼ cup chopped nuts

Instructions

• Pour ½ cup of cold water into a large bowl and sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of gelatin over the liquid
• Add ½ cup of boiling water and stir the mixture constantly until the gelatin has fully dissolved (1-2 minutes)
• Scoop 2 ½ cups of birdseeds along with the optional ingredients into the gelatin mixture and stir together until all the seeds are well coated.
• Continue to stir until there is no liquid puddling at the bottom of the bowl. This should only take a few minutes
• Prep the cookie cutters (or other shape makers) by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place the cookie cutters on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Once the mixture is ready, firmly pack the cookie cutters with the birdseed mixture.
• Make a hole in the ornament about ½” down from the edge of the ornament using a stick or straw.
• Place the ornaments in warm place to dry for 24 to 48 hours. Carefully flip, or put the ornament on its side so that the bottom can dry too.
• Once the ornament feels dry, carefully press it out of the cookie cutter and remove the stick.
• Pass a string through the hole of the ornament and hang on a tree outside.

Dried Plant Materials

Seed heads, winterberry sprays, and millet sprays also look beautiful tucked into an evergreen tree.

Decorate the Tree

Be sure to decorate a tree you can easily see from a window! If you’re lucky enough to have a real cut Christmas tree, put it outside before all those needles drop!  The evergreen provides shelter for birds and critters during the cold winter months. Decorations also work well on deciduous trees in your yard.

Finish up the day with hot chocolate complete with mini marshmallows and a mountain of whipped cream. Snuggle together and revisit The Night Tree.

Smiles!

PS I use “secret snacks” to photograph the wild birds in my backyard. The cookie cutters in the photo were a childhood gift from my sister. Checkout “Cookie Cutter Dingle Dangles” and other surprising bird activities at AzarElGreetings.com .

Sources:

How to Turn Your Old Christmas Tree into an Outdoor Wildlife Magnet

How to Decorate an Outdoor Tree with Treats for Wildlife

Pinecone Bird Feeder (With & Without Peanut Butter)

Protecting Our Feathered Friends: Safe Suet and Fat Feeding

How to Make a Bird Feeder with Citrus Peels