Autumn is an active time for finches, especially for late-nesting American Goldfinches. Here are some tips for attracting and feeding finches this autumn.
Expert tip: During nesting season (July and August) and throughout September, goldfinches are particularly drawn to Nyjer® and Nyjer® mixes as they feed young and teach them how to forage.
Nyjer® and Nyjer® mixes are best served in a mesh pouch, or a tube-style feeder that has very small slits. One advantage to using feeders especially designed for Nyjer® is that the smaller feeding openings exclude larger birds with bulkier bills. House Finches, Indigo Buntings, Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls and Black-capped Chickadees will also feed from these feeders.
Goldfinches are primarily seed eaters. One of their favorite foods is Nyjer® (shown), which is imported and heat-treated so it will not germinate. It’s a highly nutritious, oily, energy-packed food.
Goldfinches time their nesting to coincide with the ripening of the Canadian thistle seeds. Nyjer® seed (Guizotia abyssinica) resembles the seed of the native Canadian thistle plant—the actual plant does not— which may explain their affinity for Nyjer®. Goldfinches come to feeders year round. You may not recognize them in their autumn plumage, when adult males trade their bright yellow feathers for dull brown.
Expert Tip: Any Nyjer® or Nyjer® mix left in your feeder for more than six weeks will likely be too dry and unappealing to finches.
Because Nyjer® is imported and heat treated, it does dry out faster in a feeder exposed to the weather. Goldfinches especially need the oil in the seed to easily swallow and digest, as well as for the nutrient value, so it’s important to make an effort to keep the seed fresh.
Expert Tip: When refilling a tube feeder, rotate the seed, check to be sure the drainage holes are clear, and remove any seed stuck to the inside of the feeder.
The Aspects Quick Clean feeders with an easy-to-remove base are a real asset here. First, empty the feeder into a paper bag. Fill the feeder part way with fresh seed, then pour in the seed from the paper bag. Goldfinches tend to fly in to the top perches or mesh of the feeder, driving the other birds down lower. Therefore, rotating the seed causes the older seed to get eaten first from the top of the feeders.
Golden Safflower and Select Hearts of sunflower are also great for attracting goldfinches. These seeds can be used in regular tube feeders with larger feeding ports, hopper feeders, window feeders and hanging trays. These foods and feeders are not exclusive to finches and smaller birds. Serving Golden Safflower and sunflower out of the shell will attract a wider variety of birds to the feeders, including: cardinals, sparrows, nuthatches, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Blue Jays and others. You can attract goldfinches but attract fewer grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds and starlings by using only Golden Safflower
in feeders. Goldfinches love it!
Expert Tip: During the cold-weather months, the nutrient-dense seeds of Golden Safflower and shelled sunflower offer a bigger meat. The birds get more reward for less work, which is a huge benefit when there are fewer daylight hours in which to eat.
In addition to using feeders and birdbaths to attract goldfinches, add some of their favorite plants to your yard. Sunflowers, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower and the native perennial cup plant are excellent choices.
Expert Tip: The cup plant produces a lot of seeds and if left standing, will feed the goldfinches into the fall and winter.
The leaves of the cup plant grow bilaterally on the thick stem creating a cup that collects water from which the goldfinches drink— hence its name.
Providing plants, feeders and birdbaths will make your yard a sanctuary for finches throughout the year.
From the Sept/Oct 2024 Bird’s-Eye View Newsletter
Article by Minnetonka Manager CAROL CHENAULT