Suet can be used in several ways for cold-weather feeding. Nail beef suet, unseasoned, to a tree or place it in a mesh bag and hang. You can also melt it down and mix it with seeds, raisins, or nuts. Once mixed, spoon the suet into paper cups and spread it over pine cones. Chickadees, woodpeckers, thrushes, bluejays, and cardinals enjoy this delicacy.
Fruit is another favorite of various bird species.
Sliced oranges, apples, and raisins are necessary to orioles that winter in cold climates. Titmice, Carolina wrens , chickadees, and nuthatches are fond of peanut butter. In fact, it is such a favorite that birds have been known to alight on human hands to eat it. Coarsen the peanut butter with cornmeal or bread crumbs to eliminate choking and hang it from a tree in empty orange halves. Hummingbird nectar is a special dish which can easily be prepared during a spare evening or Sunday afternoon.