Decorate an outdoor tree with edible ornaments for the birds
When Americans do something we do it big. Even our Christmas trees are big. Christmas trees in Europe tend to be short, four feet tall at the most, so they can sit atop tables, whereas Americans have always favored floor-to-ceiling trees. But we don't stop there. The lights, the ornaments, the strands of ribbon, all of this decorating is for the birds.
“For the birds” came into common use around 1944, alluding to how little birds live on. So instead of decorating an indoor tree, try taking a bird's-eye view of holiday mayhem and decorate an outdoor tree with edible ornaments for the birds.
Birds are the perfect holiday guests; they are not particular about the shape or size of the tree.
Your tree should have lots of horizontal branches spaced apart so your edible ornaments hang freely while still giving the birds room to safely feed. Nearby shrubbery will give them good escape routes. Choose a tree visible from the house so you can enjoy the birds eating.
It stands to reason that the wider variety of food you decorate with, the more bird species you will attract.
Using thick thread or ribbon, string unsalted popped popcorn. Try stringing grapes or dried fruit, or both to create colorful and nutritious garlands. It may be easier to hang smaller one-foot strands or “necklaces” rather than long garlands. Fresh apple slices and fresh orange slices can be attached with a large nail or strung with twine and hung. Plain cereal such as Cheerios can be strung easily. Even unsalted crackers make nice ornaments. Dried sunflower seed heads can be placed whole on a branch. Tie a ribbon around the top. Bunches of millet available at pet stores or feed stores can be hung as is. Raw peanuts in the shell are good for stringing, but expect to attract squirrels.
Make pine cone ornaments. Tie a ribbon loop to the top of the pine cones. Mix peanut butter and oatmeal and generously spread this over the pine cones, being sure to push some into the inner layers of the cones. Now roll the peanut butter and oatmeal pine cones in birdseed and you are ready to hang them on your bird tree.
Mesh bags filled with chunks of suet will keep woodpeckers occupied.
When deciding on which foods to put on your bird Christmas tree, bear in mind the feeding preferences of your backyard birds.
It might take your birds a week or two to discover and then become familiar with your tree.
You can of course be a bird brain and bake your own bird seed cookies, or add a heated bird bath so your birds have drinking water when all else is iced over.
Decorating a Christmas tree for the birds whether in your own yard or out in the woods is a healthy outdoor activity that attracts and feeds birds that you hope will return to eat garden insects and pests. It makes decorating a tree indoors for the birds.
