nyjer seed vs 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.

Is niger seed and thistle seed the same?

Nyjer seed, also known as niger seed or thistle seed, is a high oil content seed used frequently in backyard bird feeders to attract a variety of finches.

Why are finches 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 called thistle?

It was originally called Niger but frequently got mispronounced as a racial slur. So many retailers referred to it as thistle. Since some got confused that it might be seeds of the noxious weed thistle, some cities tried to ban its sale.

What is the best bird food for finches?

Nyjer® (thistle) is finches’ favorite food. Nyjer’s high oil content makes it an excellent energy source for active birds, and it’s best used in our specially designed finch feeders. It is important to keep the food fresh because finches can be picky eaters.

Why won’t birds eat my thistle?

Finches won’t feed on brown, old-looking seed. Thistle seed (aka Nyjer®) dries out quickly, so store your fresh thistle in the freezer until you’re ready to use it. This helps preserve the seed, preventing it from drying out until it goes into your finch feeders.

Do house finches eat thistle 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.

Do hummingbirds eat thistle seed?

Now, the question is, “Do hummingbirds eat seeds?” The answer is no. Hummingbirds don’t eat seeds at all. This is because their bills are not made for cracking and eating seeds. Not only that, but their quickest metabolism won’t also allow seeds to be properly digested.

What type of feeder is best 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.

Why do 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.

Why am I not getting finches at my feeder?

1. 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.

Do cardinals get along with finches?

Cardinals Are Friendly With other Birds

A cardinal is sharing a feeder with a male house finch. A female cardinal is sharing a feeder with a painted bunting. A female cardinal is sharing a feeder with a sparrow.

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.

Can you grow thistle from bird seed?

Nyjer seed from bird seed is heat-treated to prevent germination before export. About 80 percent of the seeds are rendered incapable of germination through this method, but the remaining 20 percent will sprout. The plant produces an abundance of yellow flowers, and each flower head contains 30 to 40 seeds.

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 the best seed for goldfinches?

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.

Can I put thistle seed in a regular bird feeder?

Only small “thistle” seeds can fit through, AND only birds with small beaks can reach inside to get food out of the feeder, like finches! My favorite tube nyjer feeder is made by Droll Yankees. It is the one that I use and own.

Do finches like thistle seed?

Finches like backyards that have open, grassy field-like space. Plant grassy, weedy species, as well as plants and flowers with many seeds. Goldfinches are known to enjoy thistle plants. They eat the thistle plant seeds and use the mature thistle down in their nests during breeding season.

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