These Birdseed Balls Will Bring All the Birds to Your Yard

Having a few birds to admire in your yard is always a welcome addition. And even in the winter, it's easy to attract a few winged visitors into your open space with these simple bird seed balls. Roll them together with a few items from your pantry — like peanut butter, corn meal and lard — and then string them up in the trees with twine. If you have a few birds that you'd particularly like to view, then you can customize the feeders with different nut and seed mixtures. Now when you drink your morning coffee and stare out the window, you may have a companion fly in to meet you.

Add 1 1/2 cups of lard and 1 cup of peanut butter to a heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave on low for 20 seconds. Check to see if the two ingredients can be mixed after the first 20 seconds. If the lard is still hard, heat the bowl for another 20 seconds. Mix the two ingredients together.

Now, add 1 cup of rolled oats, 1 cup of corn meal and 1 1/2 cups of birdseed to the lard and peanut butter mixture. Stir the ingredients together until they're combined.

Refrigerate the mixture until is starts to get thick or harden. Check it after one hour, and if it's firm enough to hold a structure, then it's perfect.

Sprinkle birdseed on a plate to prep. Start rolling balls out of the refrigerated mixture. After the balls have been formed, roll them in the birdseed mixture to coat the outside of each ball.

Place the balls in the fridge until the peanut butter and lard has hardened (approximately two hours).

Grab twine or rope and tie a not around the ball. Leave enough string to create a knot to tie on a tree.

Hang the balls on your trees and let the birds enjoy it.