Feeding birds in winter: how to make fat balls at home

There are many versions of this famous fat ball that is hung up to help birds survive the harsh winter weather.

The one I am sharing today is the one we use when working with children as part of our local LPO group, ‘Le Héron d’Avignon’.

Guide to making fat balls for birds

Steps in making a fat ball

1. Place the coconut oil in the salad bowl.
   Tip: use vegetable oil bars (solidified plant-based oil) as they are more practical (each ‘bar’ can be broken into smaller pieces, which are easier to handle).
2. Melt the coconut oil and leave to cool slightly.
   You can use a microwave or a “bain-marie” cooking (a saucepan of hot water in which you place the mixing bowl).
3. Place the sunflower seeds in the mixing bowl.
   How do you measure the ratio of seeds to oil? By making fat balls, you will learn what works best. You need to add enough seeds to make a nice, plump fat ball, but not too many, otherwise there won’t be enough oil for them to ‘stick’ to the pine cone.
4. Tie the string to the top of the pine cone.
   The aim is to be able to hang the pine cone from a tree branch (for example) or any other outdoor support.
5. Using the large spoon, place sunflower seeds in the gaps in the pine cone.
   The coconut oil should be slightly white, as this means it will not be too runny and the sunflower seeds will stick well to the pine cone.