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 won’t goldfinches 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.
Do all birds eat
niger seeds
?
Most birds will eat Niger Seed, however some favour it more than others One of the most common birds that loves Niger Seed is the Goldfinch, as the structure of the beak is ideally suited for such as tiny seed. However, you’ll also see Pine Siskins,
common redpolls
and other small birds feeding.
How do I know if my Nyjer seeds are good?
To test your seeds’ freshness, pinch the seed with your fingernails and see if any oil comes out The finches use their bills to twist the seed and sip the oil and then drop the shell. If your seed has dried out your feeder will be skipped. Make sure the feeder is clean and free of any mold.
Why are birds not eating my thistle seed?
If you think birds aren’t eating the seed because you see some on the ground, examine it more closely: you may be seeing mostly the thin niger hulls Niger seed is vulnerable to spoilage while in the feeder. Replace niger seed every 3-4 weeks if it is not being actively eaten.
Why are the birds not eating my thistle?
Hi LJ, It could be that the seed is old (being held in a warehouse too long) or it could be they would prefer
sunflower chips
Mine do not seem too interested in thistle either. Maybe just the time of year, there’s plenty of natural food around at the moment. Best to store seed cold, so it doesn’t go rancid.
Why have my yellow finches disappeared?
The issue here is two fold. First, the seed will become unpalatable (even dangerous to the birds) if it is caked and moldy Second, caked seed cannot be extracted from the small openings of Finch feeders. So you can have a perfectly filled finch feeder with no finches, simply because they can’t get to the seed!.
Where do you put the Nyjer feeder?
Nyjer feeders have small holes placed above the perches The holes are so tiny that only tiny beaks can extract the seeds. Sock feeders are reusable and usually last for 3 or 4 refills before they are too worn to continue use. Wire feeders allow finches to perch anywhere on the tube and feed through the narrow mesh.
How do I attract more finches?
Tempt with Fresh Black Seed Brown, stale-looking seeds do not attract finches, so one must always buy strong black-colored seeds. The general preference of your yellow beauties is a combination of sunflower seeds and Nyjer seeds, which are high in oil and easy to pick with small beaks.
Will nyjer seed germinate?
This plant seed is also sold under the trademark name Nyjer. It does not germinate and sprout in your lawn –for one very good reason. In 2001 the USDA required imported Niger seed for birds to be sterilized for 15 minutes at 120˚ C (248˚ F). This sterilizes the seeds.
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.
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.
What is the best 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.
What birds are attracted to nyjer seed?
- American goldfinches.
- California quail.
- Common redpolls.
- Dark-eyed juncos.
- European goldfinches.
- Hoary redpolls.
- House finches.
- Indigo buntings.
How long does nyjer seed last?
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 birds eat nyjer seed in the winter?
Nyjer. Nyjer (sometimes spelled nyger or niger) or thistle seed is a favorite food of winter finches such as pine siskins and common redpolls. This is another oily seed that offers a lot of calories, helping birds store the fat they need to keep warm through the season.
How do I attract yellow finches?
Goldfinches are are big fans of bird feeders. Although goldfinches will eat most small seeds, they love thistle (Nyjer) and sunflower seeds Keep goldfinches coming back by replacing uneaten food every three to four weeks. Make sure the seed stays dry.
Where did the gold finches go?
Most of these goldfinches migrate southward out of Canada in winter. They move to the United States, as far south as Florida, the Gulf Coast and the border with
mexico south
of Texas they continue several hundred miles into Mexico.
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 squirrels like Niger seeds?
Squirrels don’t like niger seed When you put out feed for birds, it can often be taken by big tailed interlopers, however you needn’t worry with niger seed. On the whole, squirrels tend to ignore it, perhaps due to its size.
Do starlings eat nyjer seed?
While starlings and House Sparrows do eat nyjer, both species prefer sunflower seed , and starlings in particular find it difficult to use tube feeders.
Citations
https://m.facebook.com/WildBirdsUnlimitedSinkingSpringPA/photos/top-5-facts-about-njyer-seed1-when-nyjer-seed-dries-out-birds-wont-eat-it-nyjer-/1133810936638039/
https://morebirds.com/blogs/news/8-helpful-hints-for-attracting-finches
https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1190694/