Our Team’s Picks of the Best Suet Cakes for Birds
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Heath Outdoor Products Suet Cake For Bird -
Wildlife Sciences High Energy Suet Cake For Bird -
C & S Products Suet Cake For Bird -
St. Albans Bay Suet Plus Suet Cake For Bird -
Kaytee Seed & Mealworm Suet Cake For Bird -
Buyer's Guide
If you have a birdhouse hangng in your backyard that just doesn’t seem to attract any birds, it may be time to change your bird feed. Suet cakes for birds are a great alternative to traditional offerings like sunflower seeds or corn, providing enhanced nutrional value to any birds that may come for a visit.
Suet cakes are made up of a variety of different foods, including wheat, seeds, oats, and even mealworms combined with coconut oil or animal lard. They also come in many sizes and shapes.
With so much variety on the market, deciding which suet cake to buy can be a difficult task. To help you figure out which suet cake is the best choice for your bird feeder, we’ve put together a list of the best suet cakes for birds available on the market in 2022.
Heath Outdoor Products Suet Cake For Bird
- No-melt makes it perfect for all seasons
- Contains higher ratio of fat making it ideal for bigger birds
- Large 12-pack ensures it will last all season
- Cake is soft so may cause a mess
- Poor packaging can result in a broken suet cake
Wildlife Sciences High Energy Suet Cake For Bird
- Blend consists of insect, seeds, and mullets, making it a popular choice for birds and squirrels
- High-energy so ideal for larger birds
- Resistant to melting
- Do not come with a plastic shell which makes placing them into the bird feeder difficult
- Waxy so may harden in low temperatures
C & S Products Suet Cake For Bird
- No-melt formula makes it ideal for all seasons
- Very fresh, attracting birds of all species
- Non-greasy formula makes placement and removal of the cakes mess-free
- Expensive
- Drier than other suet cakes on the market
St. Albans Bay Suet Plus Suet Cake For Bird
- Full of fat and lard, making them ideal for winter
- Very affordable
- Eco-friendly packaging
- Does not attract a wide variety of birds
- Greasy, melting down in hot weather
Kaytee Seed & Mealworm Suet Cake For Bird
- Contains uncommon ingredients which attracts wide variety of birds
- Long-lasting
- No-melt formula makes it ideal for all seasons
- Expensive
- Large in size, so you may need to cut it before placing it into your bird feeder
Detailing the Best Suet Cakes for Birds of 2022
Heath Outdoor Products Suet Cake For Bird - Best Overall
This suet cake for birds is a great option for those who live in areas with unpredictable weather. No matter if the climate is hot, cold, or rainy, this suet cake for birds is sure to hold its shape and blend perfectly. The suet cake itself is made up of beef, corn, wheat, and sunflower seeds, with a larger quantity of fat making it ideal for bigger birds. It also comes in a 12-pack so you can be sure the suet cakes will last you all season. However, one downside to this product is that it can cause a bit of mess in your bird feeder as the suet cake is quite soft. The packaging is also not very sturdy so it is possible that your suet cakes arrive broken.
- No-melt makes it perfect for all seasons
- Contains higher ratio of fat making it ideal for bigger birds
- Large 12-pack ensures it will last all season
- Cake is soft so may cause a mess
- Poor packaging can result in a broken suet cake
Wildlife Sciences High Energy Suet Cake For Bird - Runner Up
If you are looking for an affordable suet cake for birds that will attract all kinds of species to your yard, this high energy suet cake by Wildlife Sciences is a good choice. The formula is designed to provide a high amount of energy and nutrional value to those feeding on it, making it ideal for bigger species of birds like woodpeckers and cardinals. They are also resistant to melting so will last you a long time. However, the suet cakes do not come with a plastic shell as many others do, making it difficult to place them in the bird feeder in one piece. They are also quite waxy and can harden up in colder weather.
- Blend consists of insect, seeds, and mullets, making it a popular choice for birds and squirrels
- High-energy so ideal for larger birds
- Resistant to melting
- Do not come with a plastic shell which makes placing them into the bird feeder difficult
- Waxy so may harden in low temperatures
C & S Products Suet Cake For Bird - Honorable Mention
With its extremely fresh and no-melt formula, C & S Products’ suet cake for birds is a great choice for bird-watchers wanting to attract all kinds of species of birds for years to come. This suet cake contains, beef, roasted peanuts, corn, and oats and remains fresh all season. It is also mess-free, coming in individually wrapped cakes that won’t stick to your hands when placing them in the bird feeder. However, one thing to note is that this suet cake is quite expensive. It is also a little on the dry side as compared to other suet cakes for birds on the market.
- No-melt formula makes it ideal for all seasons
- Very fresh, attracting birds of all species
- Non-greasy formula makes placement and removal of the cakes mess-free
- Expensive
- Drier than other suet cakes on the market
St. Albans Bay Suet Plus Suet Cake For Bird - Contender
This high energy suet cake is full of fat and lard, providing birds with much needed warmth in the cold winter. It is also very affordable, coming in minimal packaging that produces less waste and is also 100% recyclable. The package is also quite easy to open as the suet cakes come in plastic bags instead of the typical plastic trays that need to be peeled off the cake. However, one downside to these suet cakes are that they do not attract very many variety of birds. They are also quite greasy, melting down to a puddle during the heat of summer.
- Full of fat and lard, making them ideal for winter
- Very affordable
- Eco-friendly packaging
- Does not attract a wide variety of birds
- Greasy, melting down in hot weather
Kaytee Seed & Mealworm Suet Cake For Bird - Also Consider
Made up of many uncommon ingredients including sunflower, peanuts, safflower, mealworms, gelatin, millet, honey, and dextrose, this suet cake for birds is a real treat for many different species of birds. It is also quite long-lasting, resisting mold buildup. It’s no-melt formula is also very convenient, remaining protected in all kinds of weather. One thing to keep in mind before purchasing this suet cake, however, is it’s large size. If you plan on placing it into a traditional bird feeder you may need to cut it in half or even quarters for it to fit.
- Contains uncommon ingredients which attracts wide variety of birds
- Long-lasting
- No-melt formula makes it ideal for all seasons
- Expensive
- Large in size, so you may need to cut it before placing it into your bird feeder
Buyer's Guide
What Is A Suet Cake For Birds?
A suet cake is a solidifed mixture of fat and ingredients that offer nutirional value to birds in a single ball. Typically, suet cakes for birds are made up of animal lard, sunflower seeds, mealworms, gelatin, wheat, and millets. They can be placed inside a hanging bird feeder to attract all kinds of species of birds to your garden or yard.
What To Keep In Mind When Buying A Suet Cake For Birds
Flavor
Suet cakes come in a variety of flavors, with each one being attractive to a different species of birds. For example, songbirds are known to prefer fruity flavors, so a suet cake containing fruit like berries or oranges would attract them more. Similarly, wild birds enjoy suet cakes made up of nuts.
Feeder Type
The type of feeder you have has a great impact on your decision of buying a suet cake. Suet cakes come in several shapes and sizes, and should ideally fit perfectly into your bird feeder. Make sure you know the dimensions of your feeder before setting out to purchase a suet cake to ensure the placement process is as mess-free as possible.
Consistency
Suet cakes should not be too soft or too dry as both conditions will prevent birds from being able to eat them comfortably. You should also make sure your suet cake has a no-melt, non-greasy formula to ensure there is little mess when placing it into your bird feeder.
What Are The Types of Suet Cakes for Birds?
There are four main types of suet cakes, namely balls, pellets, crumbles, and shreds. The ideal suet cake shape depends on where you plan on placing it. Ball-shaped suet cakes are designed for larger cages, while pellets can be used more easily in smaller feeders. Similarly, crumbles are softer suet cakes which can be used on flat platforms, while shred are ideal dishes as they imitate the look of insects or worms.
What Is The Lifetime Of A Suet Cake?
Suet cakes can last up to three years if properly stored. To ensure your suet cake remains good for as long as possible, be sure to keep it covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated.
Suet Cake for Bird FAQ
Q: Can you substitute lard for suet cakes for birds?
A: Most suet cakes contain a high proportion of lard, so using it as a substitute can be done safely. However, using lard may not be as effective as it does not pack as much flavor as suet cakes do.
Q: How long can I keep my suet cakes outside?
A: Suet cakes can be kept outside for up to three days in moderate climate before it goes bad. However, you should make sure to hang your bird feeder in an area with shade to prevent the suet cake from spoiling too quickly.
Q: Should suet cakes for birds be refrigerated?
A: Raw suet cakes should ideally be covered in plastic wrap and kept refrigerated until you plan on using it. Otherwise, the suet cake can go bad earlier than expected.
