Burt Guttman wrote:

>The meat departments of grocery stores are happy to give away big chunks
>of fat, but in its natural state it doesn't work very well for feeding
>birds. They eat some when it's fresh, but it goes bad pretty quickly.

Interesting. I wonder to what extent birds adjust to a food type and then
are reluctant or unable to change quickly to a slightly different or
modified form? I have been using unrendered chunks of beef fat at my feeders
for years and they are litterally gobbled up by a variety of species
(Bushtit, CB Chickadee, Downy and occasionally Hairy woodpeckers,
RB Nuthatch, Steller's Jay, and occasionally, Song Sparrow, Bewick's Wren,
European Starling and others). Even in warmer weather, when the fat looks a
little old and rancid, it is still attractive to some of these species, and
with no apparent ill effects.

Three days ago, in with the raw fat, I placed a block of rendered beef fat/
seed mix that a local butcher friend is testing on the market. - fat and
mixed wild bird seed only. I promised her that I would help to promote her
new product, but I'm having difficulty. The raw fat is gone; the new stuff
remains virtually untouched. Any similar experiences out there? Will they
come around?

Bryan Gates, Victoria
bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca