I picked up a suet feeder on a whim and it has made me a hero with my children. Ours hangs just outside the kitchen window. It attracts birds like crazy and provides a rather exciting show at breakfast time. The birds are fickle - they only come around when it's filled - but they can polish off a suet cake in a couple of days.
We're getting sparrows, jays, cardinals and purple martins. They jockey for position and play a feathered version of king of the mountain right before our eyes!
These simple feeders (Compare Prices) can be had for $5 or less and the suet cakes are around a dollar each. (I bought a 10-pack, used a $5 off coupon at the pet superstore and got them for $.50 ea!) I thought a suet feeder might make an unusual and affordable birthday present for the kid who likes animals and has everything.