Click to Enlarge     A Wreath For Birds by Martha Daniels Make a colorful wreath that wildlife can enjoy. Long before people decorated their yards and porches with lights and tinsel, they used apples, berries, nuts and seeds to make their homes look festive for Christmas. These natural decorations were attractive and colorful, and they provided food for wildlife. It's easy to make a wreath for your yard or porch, and it's fun to add some extra ingredients that birds and bushy-tailed squirrels will find delicious. In a way, you'll be giving a Christmas present to wildlife. Materials To make your wildlife wreath, gather these items: 18-24 inches of #18 galvanized wire (or other stiff wire) Raffia or ribbon scraps Orange slices Apple slices Cranberries or other fruit or berries Raisins Roasted peanuts Ear corn, cut in sections Birdseed beads, kept chilled (see recipe) Building the Wreath Bend a small hook at one end of the wire (about 1/2-inch long). String fruit, corn, peanuts and refrigerated or frozen birdseed beads on the wire. Peanuts can be tied to the wire frame or strung like fruit. Be careful not to hurt yourself with the sharp end of the wire. When the wire is filled, bend it into a hoop and ask an adult to help you bend the straight end over to make the wreath. Decorate the hoop with the raffia or ribbons. Maybe you can make a bow for the center. Place the wreath in a tree, shrub or near a bird feeder. Make sure you can see it from a window. The fun in feeding birds watching them. Use leftover ingredients to make wreaths for friends and neighbors. If you have a lot of material, decorate a whole tree with wreaths and suet cakes. Winter Visitors Keep an eye on your tasty wreath and see who is eating the goodies. Make a list of which birds or other wildlife eat which fruits or nuts. You may see blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, cedar waxwings, robins or titmice, to name a few. Squirrels, raccoons or opossums may help clean the wreath, too. What were their favorites? What didn't get eaten? After the birds - or beasts - have feasted, refill your wreath with more nuts and fruits, replacing the favorite foods. Remove raffia or ribbon and wire after the food is gone. There's nothing like a noisy, busy wreath full of bird activity to put you in the holiday mood. Plus, you can keep enjoying this wreath all winter long! Birdseed Beads A suet treat for birds 1/2-cup lard or melted suet 1/2-cup peanut butter 2 1/2 cups cornmeal or oatmeal 1-cup black oil sunflower seeds 1/2-cup raisins Ask an adult to help you soften the lard and peanut butter. Mix in cornmeal or oatmeal, then add raisins and sunflower seeds. Form in small balls (about a tablespoon each), make a hole through the center and chill until firm. String on wire hoops with fruit and nuts. Also works well as birdseed cakes in a wire suet basket or feeder. Can also be used to coat pinecones. When warm, these beads get soft and break apart easily. Bird Acrobats Some birds look silly when they eat. They might hang upside-down or sideways. Here are some of the acrobats of the bird world that may visit your wreath. Black-capped chickadee Less than 5 inches long, chickadees are smaller than most birds at your feeder. They have a black cap and throat, a white cheek, a gray back and a tiny beak. They often cling upside-down from twigs. They are noisy at the feeder, too, calling chick-a-dee! Carolina chickadees are found in south Missouri and look like black-caps, but their call is a bit faster. Tufted titmouse Titmice are gray, and they have a feathery crest on top of their heads. They are about 6 inches long. They are related to chickadees and, like them, are busy and noisy around the feeder. Nuthatch The white-breasted nuthatch is about 6 inches long and has a black cap on its head. Its back is gray, and its throat and stomach are white. A white breasted nuthatch has a long, straight bill that it uses to probe for insects. Nuthatches are the only species of birds that climb down tree trunks headfirst. Downy woodpecker Downy woodpeckers have a short, sharp bill and are about 6 inches long. They have a black and white pattern on their head and wings, but their backs are white. Males have a red patch on their head. Downies frequently come to suet feeders in winter.