Fun Facts About American Goldfinches:
- Goldfinches are one of the most common, yet most fun, songbirds in North America. They are here all year round, but the males are only yellow in the spring through early fall during the nesting season.
- Their two preferred seeds to eat at the feeder are Nyjer (thistle) and Sunflower chips. Most people feed them straight Nyjer seed as it is not very attractive to squirrels and it allows for the feeder to be hung just about anywhere.
- Nyjer seed is known to spoil easily, so it is best to buy it in smaller amounts and most importantly to keep it dry.
- The shelf life of Nyjer after you buy it from WBU is about 3-4 months, after that you will see decreasing activity at the feeder because Goldfinches are picky eaters and know when the seed is bad.
- Nyjer also spoils very easily when it gets wet, so it is very helpful to put a weather guard over your finch feeder to keep it dry when it rains. Spoiled seed is the biggest reason for finches not visiting a feeder full of seed.
- If the finches don't eat everything in the feeder in 3 weeks, it is time to change the seed. They should normally empty a feeder within a week, if it is still full after 3 weeks that means the seed went bad most likely due to rain in the past 3 weeks.
- Goldfinches like to feed in groups and they move around a lot, so their activity on the feeder may fluctuate throughout the year. 2009 is a great year for goldfinches and most people are reporting constant activity on their feeder when the seed is fresh. It is reported that 25 to 100 different goldfinches can visit a feeder in one day. They are most active in the spring through early fall. They will stay here in the winter but are a bit more nomadic so their activity at the feeder may vary in winter.
- They are late nesters, nesting from June through August. During this time their diet consists of a lot of insects, so activity at seed feeders may drop, but by late August and September their population and numbers at the feeder are at the peak of the year. The parents and the young will visit the feeder in great numbers.
- Goldfinches typically have one brood per season, however veteran females may leave their first brood to the male to raise and find another male to have a second brood. They nest high up in trees and will not visit a man-made bird house. They weave their nests so tight that it will hold water.
- Goldfinches are known for hanging upside down and sideways to eat seed from plants and flowers. Watch for goldfinches on flowers and plants that are seeding later in the year, at these times you may notice less activity at the feeders, which is perfectly natural.
- Goldfinches molt (lose feathers and grow new ones) twice a year - once in the spring and again in the fall when the nesting season is over. During the winter months male and female plumage is brownish gray.
Feeding Finches:
Tube Finch Feeders: The most common type of finch feeder, with many perches and fine holes for dispensing the fine Nyjer seed. These work very well, but once it rains Nyjer seed spoils very quickly inside a tube feeder because there is no ventilation. This problem can be solved partially by adding a weather guard over the feeder as seen in the picture to the right. The bottom of the feeder has a "Quick-Clean" removable base. Just squeeze the two buttons on the bottom and the base pops out for easy cleaning.
The feeder also comes with a lifetime guarantee against squirrel or weather damage. No need to keep the receipt, just bring it into your local WBU store and we will service the feeder as needed.
Mesh Finch Feeders: Our recommended finch feeders. The mesh tube not only lets finches land and feed in whatever position they choose, but it also provides air ventilation to keep Nyjer seed fresh, something that is very important. Nyjer seed spoils easier than other seeds when it gets wet or in humid weather, and finches are very picky about their seed. You can also add a weather guard on top of this feeder to provide extra protection from the elements.
The feeder also comes with a lifetime guarantee against squirrel or weather damage. No need to keep the receipt, just bring it into your local WBU store and we will service the feeder as needed.
WBU Nest Builder: Goldfinches are late nesters compared to most other birds. They don't start nesting until late June and nest all the way through early September. They will be one of the most common birds to use the nest building material. Birds often use string, yarn, feathers, hair clippings and even cat or dog fur as nest-building materials. Our packaged nesting materials are an easy way to offer your birds the materials they need for their home-building needs. Simply hang it up and let your birds take what they need to create a place of their own.
