Welcoming birds to the yard is a joyful sight and one we gardeners take pride in. There are so many creative ways to offer birds homes and food in your yard, including the latest trend of 'chirp-cuterie' boards, aka a bird buffet.
Think grazing boards for your feathered friends; you create a beautiful, nutritious spread of different bird foods served on a wooden platter. It's a stunning and innovative way to feed birds that offers a wide range of food, brings many different species to your yard, and with a camera in place it's simply adorable to watch. And it's incredibly easy to recreate without spending a lot of money.
Of course, it isn't just about chucking out any food for birds – Maria Kincaid, ornithologist from FeatherSnap, says some careful choices need to be made to best support birds' diets. Here's what you need to know to successfully creating a bird buffet in your yard.
How to make a bird buffet
Whether you're looking for ways to help garden birds in summer or help garden birds in winter, the video above made by @thechirpcorner demonstrates just how valuable of a source a 'chirp-cuterie' board can be.
It also encourages many different birds to visit your outdoor space, from cardinals, to blue jays, orioles, and more, birds of all kinds appreciate the variety a bird buffet offers.
There are a few things to keep in mind when putting together the perfect spread, however. So, try following our five easy and affordable steps to make a tasty buffet that will support the health of birds and encourage them to revisit:
1. Choose a platter
The first thing you need for a bird buffet is a vessel to house the food.
This can be anything from a serving platter (like the beautiful wooden one from Wayfair), or a bird feeding tray (like this one from Amazon).
Just be aware of the materials you choose. If you live in a region prone to rain, you may wish to opt for rust and rot-resistant boards, such as those made from teak.
Likewise, your platter should be big enough to host a number of birds, as well as fit a variety of foods on.
2. Arrange some nutritional snacks on your platter
This is where the fun starts. While there are plenty of things to never feed birds, there are equally lots of human foods you can give to birds as an occasional snack.
'Feeding food or scraps from your kitchen can be a great way to cut down on food waste, but it is important to make sure that if you’re offering kitchen food to the birds in your yard, you consider that you’re giving them foods of nutritional value,' says Maria.
'It is also important to make sure the foods you are providing are safe for your birds to eat – nothing spoiled, watch the salt content, and limit processed foods,' she adds.
Some examples include feeding birds potato, putting pasta in a bird feeder, using apples and pears for birds, nuts, and more.
'Fruit that is a little too soft for you to want to eat is fine, but don’t feed birds moldy or spoiled fruit,' Maria says. 'Fruits have a lot of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber, and are a popular choice among many different bird species,' she explains.
Make sure to remove seeds and pips from fruit, too, which can contain harmful toxins.
Likewise, avoid any seasoned foods and nuts. All foods should be plain, cooked where necessary, and cut up into smaller pieces for the birds to consume easily.
FeatherSnap’s official “bird nerd.” Originally from New Orleans, Maria studied Natural Resource Ecology and Management at LSU. With a lifelong love of animals and the outdoors, it was easy to fall in love with birds, birdwatching, and the science behind it all.
3. Add traditional bird food
While some human foods make great treats packed with nutrients for birds, they shouldn't be their main food source.
Commercial bird food mixes (like these seeds for birds from Amazon) are much more balanced, providing birds with everything they need to stay fit and healthy.
For this reason, add plenty of bird food to your bird buffet. Consider sprinkling it around the other foods, to encourage birds to eat a sufficient amount among other treats.
You can even opt for specific bird feeds that encourage different kind of birds.
For example, you can put some of this nectar for hummingbirds from Amazon on your board. If doing so, consider placing a hummingbird feeder on the board to make it easier for the birds to eat from.
Suet balls (from Walmart) are also a popular choice to have among your buffet.
4. Don't forget about water
Water is an important element to include in your bird buffet, too, as birds need to stay hydrated as well as nourished. That's why bird baths are so vital in a backyard, for bathing and drinking.
Use a shallow dish full of water for this. You could even use a cat bowl (like this one from Amazon), or another container you don't have another purpose for.
Make sure to refill it regularly to keep it clean and prevent birds from drinking up harmful bacteria and dirt.
Depending on the size of the water vessel you use, consider using a water pump (from Amazon) which will help keep the water clean.
5. Set up a camera
Now that your 'chirp-cuterie' board is all set to go, there's just one step left: to capture its visitors on camera for you to enjoy.
Just like bird feeder cameras (like the solar powered smart bird feeder from Amazon), you can install a discreet security camera to capture footage of the buffet visitors without disturbing them.
This compact outdoor camera from Amazon is motion censored, so it will start filming as birds come to the platter.
FAQs
What are the best plants to include in a bird buffet?
Native plants that are nectar-rich and have berries are great bird feeder alternative and excellent addition to a bird buffet. Try adding holly, elderberry, and viburnum berries to your bird buffet. Likewise, cuttings of bee balm and lantana are nectar-rich and will be enjoyed by the birds you're feeding in your yard.
There's no doubt a bird buffet makes a sweet addition to backyards, and provide birds with plenty of food sources.
Just like cleaning a bird feeder, it's important to keep your platter board clean. Make sure to wipe it down and refresh the food and water regularly.
