niger seed
(often called Nyger Seed or Nyjer Seed) is a
small black seed
from the Guizotia flower , a pretty and dainty yellow bloom that is native to Africa. Combine Niger Seed with other seeds to provide your birds with a more varied diet.
Can you plant niger seeds?
The
black thistle nyjer
is normally grown as an annual, but it self-seeds readily and spreads Once a bed is successfully seeded, it will produce the plants by seed the following spring. Black thistle bird seed is known as Niger, Nyger or Nyjer seed.
Where can I buy Nyjer seeds?
Nyjer Thistle Bird Seed – Walmart.com.
Are niger seeds good for birds?
How to use niger seed for birds. Because it is rich in oil and high in nutrition, it makes it an outstanding food for garden birds all year round It’s even better used as winter bird food as it will give garden birds an extra calorie hit that will help them store fat to keep them warm.
Why are birds not eating nyjer seed?
Nancy Castillo, co-owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Saratoga Springs, New York, and author of the blog Zen Birdfeeder, points out that Nyjer contains natural high-calorie oils that attract finches. When the oils dry out, the seed loses both its food value and its flavor, and birds shun it.
Why is nyjer seed so expensive?
It’s one of the more expensive seeds due to the transport costs from tropical regions and because it is heat sterilized to kill weed seeds such as Dodder that is present in many Niger seed harvests.
Do birds eat niger seed in the winter?
Nyjer seed—also commonly known as niger or thistle seed—is popular with many backyard bird species, particularly seed-eating birds and winter finches.
What is the difference between Nyjer and thistle seed?
Nyjer seed is NOT thistle The seed is not derived from any native or non-native thistle plant, but instead, Nyjer seed is actually derived from a plant in the same plant tribe as sunflowers. The seed resembles a sunflower seed but is significantly smaller.
How long is nyjer seed good for?
This also means that the nyjer seed has a very short shelf life – nyjer can go stale in as little as 4-6 weeks during the summer For this reason, it is important to only buy as much nyjer as your birds will eat in that period of time. Due to the small size of the seed, nyjer requires
special feeders
.
Do squirrels eat Nyjer seed?
For example, place nyjer, safflower, or
millet seeds
in your feeder, which are all seeds that birds eat but squirrels don’t like You can also add things to bird food that squirrels don’t like. Mix in hot pepper, which squirrels won’t eat.
Do birds eat the whole nyjer seed?
Ground-feeding birds such as doves and quail will feed beneath Nyjer feeders as well , helping keep the area free of seeds, though they do not consume the seed hulls.
What kind of birds eat Nyjer seed?
Although it can be expensive, Nyjer (aka thistle) seed is eagerly consumed by all the small finches— goldfinches, house, purple, and Cassin’s finches, pine siskins, and redpolls You need to offer this tiny seed in a specialized feeder of some kind.
Can humans eat Nyjer seeds?
As well as a bird feed, nyjer seed is also often used for human consumption The oil and the seed itself is often used in recipes for curries, chutneys and other food. It also has some medicinal value.
Do rats eat nyjer seed?
Nyjer is a tiny seed which goldfinches will crack open to eat the edible interior; squirrels and rats are generally not interested in this seed.
Is nyjer seed toxic to dogs?
Dogs who gobble up a lot of seeds at one time may give themselves an upset stomach They can even cause a blockage in the intestinal tract that can lead to bloat – a very serious condition requiring immediate attention from a veterinarian. Some mixes of birdseed contain raisins or sultanas (a type of grape).
Do finches prefer Nyjer or thistle?
Picking the correct bird feeder and birdseed can determine whether you’ll be seeing finches or not. Finches like to eat nyjer thistle seed.
Will cardinals eat Nyjer seed?
Natural fruits that attract these birds include blueberry bushes, mulberry trees, and other dark-colored berries. Bird seeds that have been known to attract Cardinals include black oil sunflower, cracked corn, suet, Nyjer ® seed , mealworms, peanuts, safflower, striped sunflower, and sunflower hearts and chips.
Why won’t finches come to my feeder?
Finches Need Clean Feeders Finches don’t like dirty feeders and will avoid a feeder if it’s moldy or otherwise unclean When it rains, seed can also become clumpy, and the birds won’t be able to pull seeds out of the feeder. Adding a weather guard to your feeder can prevent the seeds from getting wet and clumping.
Does nyjer seed grow weeds?
Niger seed used to be called thistle, but it is not the noxious thistle weed we see growing on roadsides It typically will not germinate under your feeders since the USDA requires that all niger seed imported to this country be heat-treated to sterilize the seed.
What is niger seed used for?
The benefits of niger seed are less well documented, but tribal wisdom says their health benefits are similar to those of black sesame seeds. Traditionally, niger oil is used as a massage oil. Its therapeutic properties offer relief in case of aches, pains and skin problems.
Where does niger seed grow?
Niger seed (Guizotia abyssincia) is primarily grown in Ethiopia and India , where the seeds are used as a condiment or for other food uses, cold pressed as edible oil or exported into birdseed markets.
How do you attract goldfinches?
- Offer them nyjer seed. Goldfinches favorite seed to eat from a backyard feeder is nyjer (pronounced NYE-jer)
- Or black sunflower seed
- Keep your feeders clean
- Use only fresh seed
- Place feeders within quick distance to cover
- Plant seed bearing plants.
Do House Sparrows eat Nyjer seed?
B. First, House Sparrows don’t particularly like nyjer seed , and it’s almost never their first choice among foods. Second, most people put Nyjer seed inside of feeders that ONLY use Nyjer seed. While possible, House Sparrows have a bit of trouble using these types of feeders.
Do squirrels eat thistle?
Thistle, along with millet, canary, safflower, and canola seeds are the recommended feed to keep squirrels away.
What plant grows from Niger seed?
Nyger seed grows into Thistles That is what Goldfinches love so much. Teasel – Large seed head, which is attractive to Goldfinches.
How do you dispose of Nyjer seeds?
You can throw these seeds in a bag or container , which should be unreachable to birds and insects. Then you can wash the old containers, disinfect them, and let them dry before using them again with fresh seeds.
Why do birds suddenly stop coming to feeders?
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the reason birds haven’t been coming to feeders is because of the overabundance of natural foods out in the environment This fall has been unseasonably warm and dry.
Why have my goldfinches stopped coming to feeder?
Because of this, their nesting time coincides with the weed seed crop of late summer (July and August), which is much later than most other songbirds. During this part of the year, Goldfinches are busy, well..getting busy, so they tend not to visit our feeders as often as they do the rest of the year.
What seed attracts the most birds?
- Sunflower.
- Safflower.
- Nyjer or thistle.
- White proso millet.
- Shelled and cracked corn.
- Peanuts.
- Milo or sorghum.
- Golden millet, red millet, flax, and others.
Why is bird seed so expensive 2022?
Feeding birds takes resources and requires some investment because they need to be farmed, treated, and transported. And recently, bird seed has gotten even more expensive due to market changes Whether you purchase Nyjer seed, suet cakes, or black sunflower seeds, feeding the birds has gotten harder.
What is the best bird seed for finches?
The American goldfinch’s diet consists of mostly seeds. They love Nyjer® Seed and Sunflower Seeds These seeds are high in oil and easy to eat with their smaller beaks. Because finches prefer the combo of Nyjer® seed and socks, this duo is your best bet for attracting a bright yellow feathered friend.
What should you not feed wild birds?
- Bacon. Don’t serve bacon in your bird feeders
- Salt. Just like us humans, too much salt is bad for birds
- Avocado. Avocado is high-risk food that you should avoid feeding to birds
- Chocolate
- Onions
- Bread
- Fats
- Fruit Pits & Seeds.
Can chickens eat niger seeds?
Niger seeds are an oil seed similar to flax or linseed. You can feed Niger seed to chickens and they are rich in protein, oils, vitamin A and some minerals.
Do you need a special feeder for nyjer seed?
The best type of bird feeders for feeding Nyjer are mesh or sock feeders To prevent extra mess and wasted seed on the ground, look for a feeder that has a seed catching tray at the bottom. The seed tray will catch any uneaten seed that falls from the feeder and provide the birds with another opportunity to feed.
Where do yellow finches go in the winter?
To stay warm on a cold winter’s night, American Goldfinches have been known to burrow under the snow to form a cozy sleeping cavity They will also roost together in coniferous trees. Unlike many birds, Goldfinches completely molt their feathers twice a year, before breeding in the spring and after nesting in the fall.
Do finch feeders need to be yellow?
Birds possess extreme sensitivity for colors, which means they are drawn to colors which nature does not commonly have. Thus adding bright-colored, such as yellow ribbons to the feeder helps immensely in attracting finches.
Can you put thistle in a regular bird feeder?
Thistle—sometimes called Nyjer®—is ideal for attracting finches, pine siskins, buntings and juncos. Because of its small size, thistle is best offered from a finch feeder Whether it’s a tube feeder with narrow ports, a screen feeder or a mesh sock, finch feeders allow you to serve thistle without any waste.
How can you tell if bird seed is bad?
It should smell fresh and nutty. If you notice any unpleasant musty smell or clumping, it’s gone bad Throw it away and replace with fresh! We can’t over-emphasize how important it is to keep your wild bird food fresh and your feeders clean, dry and uncontaminated.
Can old bird seed hurt birds?
Even though 3-year-old birdseed isn’t necessarily harmful to birds , they aren’t very helpful either. They contain zero nutritional value and provide the same lack of substance as birdseed fillers. It’s best to avoid giving your backyard birds old and stale seeds.
Is it OK to put cayenne pepper in bird seed?
Using Cayenne Pepper in bird seed is not harmful to birds at all People use it in their bird seed feeders to deter squirrels and other rodent pests. This is something recommended by the RSPB.
Will coffee grounds keep squirrels away?
Coffee grounds will often keep squirrels away However, they need to be replenished frequently and may not be a good fit for every area that needs to be squirrel-proofed.
What animals eat bird seed at night?
There are a variety of animals that will eat birdseed at night. In the USA the main culprits are rodents, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, opossum, raccoons, deer, and bears These animals are opportunistic eaters and bird feeders are an easy food source especially when supplies are scarce.
Citations
https://www.petsmart.com/bird/wild-bird-food-and-supplies/wild-bird-food/kaytee-nyjer-seed-wild-bird-food-5287070.html
https://www.walmart.com/browse/pets/nyjer-thistle-bird-seed/5440_228734_3312645